Everlasting Love
by hilandmum
Summary: The fifth story in the Love series takes place five years after This Old House. House is now a grandfather.
1. Chapter 1

_This is the start of the fifth story in the Love series of House-Cameron stories. It takes place ten years after Three Amigos in Love and five years after This Old House._

**Title: Everlasting Love**

**Summary: House is now a grandpa **

**Chapter 1.**

"G'anpa, look at Sadie!" The sandy-haired toddler came running to House, stretched out in his favorite lounge chair in his backyard.

"She's a dog, A.G., what did you expect?"

"She's a funny dog." Arthur Gregory Billings giggled.

House rolled his eyes, but it was true. Sadie, the basset, was prone to un-basset-like behavior. She seemed to think she was a greyhound or a race horse. That day she was chasing the two-year-old around the yard, much to the boy's delight. Her short legs worked overtime to keep up with his slightly-longer ones.

Cameron slid the door open and came out with a beer for her husband and juice for her grandson.

"Hi, G'amma!" A.G. came over again, followed by the dog.

Sadie looked up at Cameron as she handed A.G. his drink. She reached into her pants pocket and took out a treat for the dog, then laughed as the two of them scampered off.

"So this is where everyone is!" Scott exclaimed, coming through the gate to the yard.

"Daddy!" A.G. shouted, running towards him and tackling his calves.

Scott reached down to lift the boy up. "Isn't Gretch back yet?" he asked House and Cameron.

Cameron shook her head. "It isn't often she and Emily can go off shopping together, and I think they're both excited to be pregnant at the same time. She should be back soon, though. Would you like a beer or a soft drink?"

"A coke would hit the spot," Scott replied.

"Daddy, Sadie's silly," his son reclaimed his attention. "A silly dog!"

"Then you must be a silly boy." Scott tickled A.G. and he laughed.

"So, how'd it go at Princeton General?" House asked.

"Well, thanks to the fact that the 'personal' scanners have been so well-received at PPTH, they've ordered two dozen of them. To start!" He sounded elated. The scanners were the latest invention he and Tony had designed, producing high quality pictures similar to those obtained with huge machines, but with a hand-held device. The miniaturization of chips down to a molecular size had allowed the development of smaller and smaller instrumentation.

"That's wonderful!" Cameron said, returning from the kitchen.

"Has Alex called?" Scott asked his mother-in-law as she handed him his drink and he put the boy down.

"No, not yet," she replied. She looked at her watch. "They should have just arrived." Alex had returned to Yale for his sophomore year, getting a ride from Chase and Sully who were flying their son Patrick up for his first year.

Gretchen came through the sliding glass doors from the family room, kissed her husband and prepared for the attack by her son.

"Mommy, mommy, you're back!" He grabbed her legs like he had his father's.

"Did you have a good time with Grandma and Grandpa?" she asked him.

"And Sadie!" He nodded vigorously.

"Of course." Gretchen smiled at him and kissed the top of his head.

"You want some iced tea or a coke?" her mother asked.

"Mmm. Iced tea would be great!" As A.G. let go, she was able to stretch out in the lounge chair next to her father's and rest her weary feet.

"How's Em?" Scott asked. He had a big soft spot for his step-sister.

"Very pregnant!" Gretchen replied. "Even more than I am. I think between the two of us we hit every restroom between here and downtown."

"I thought you went shopping," House said. She was suspiciously free of any packages.

"We did. We dropped off my purchases at home before she brought me here."

Cameron returned with glasses of iced tea for Gretchen and herself, another beer for House and another coke for Scott. "Why didn't she come in? I haven't seen her since..."

"...since yesterday at the hospital?" her husband finished for her.

"She and Tommy were having dinner with Clair and Arthur," Gretchen replied. "She had to head home."

"So what did you get?" Cameron asked her daughter.

"Well, first we went to her aunt's shop for some maternity clothes. Tori had the cutest outfits." She stopped to sip her tea. "Then we went to Baby Land. Did you know that the newest cribs have built-in web cams? Lots of other electronics, too."

"We have a crib," Scott reminded her. "I thought we were getting A.G. a tot bed. I can rig the crib up with any monitoring devices you want."

"Sounds good," she agreed. "But Emily ordered one."

"She only has about another month," Cameron said.

The phone inside the house rang, setting off a beep in the outside extension.

"That's probably Alex," Cameron said, going to get it. "Hi!" she told her son.

"Hi, Mom. We just got here, and I wanted to call before I start unpacking," he told her.

"Glad you did."

"Pat's in the Freshman dorm, of course, but it's not far from mine. My new roommate hasn't shown up yet."

"Well, you get settled in and we'll talk to you in a couple of days," Cameron said.

"OK. Maybe I'll message you tonight. Bye, for now." Alex shut his phone, and started hanging his clothes in the closet of the half of the dorm room he'd selected. He wondered about his new roommate. Jon Butler, his roommate the year before, had transferred to Dartmouth so that he could spend more time skiing. All Alex knew abut his new roommate was his name, Ryan Stewart. He hadn't been in any of Alex's classes in his Freshman year, and none of Alex's friends seemed to know him.

He stowed his guitar in a corner of the closet and closed the door before looking around the room that would be his home for the next nine months. It was just big enough for two single beds, two small dressers, and two desks and chairs. He placed his laptop on his desk, together with a few small electronics that could be used separately or with the computer.

The door opened and a young man entered. He was tall, at least six feet, but not as tall as Alex's 6'8". "Are you Alexander House?" he asked, consulting his handheld.

"Yes, and you must be Ryan." Alex held out his hand to shake but Ryan's only just touched his. "I took this side of the room. I hope that's all right."

Ryan shrugged, and began to unpack his bags without saying another word, so Alex went back to his own unpacking. But the silence got to Alex after a while. "I don't remember seeing you in any classes last year," he said.

"I doubt we'll have any together," Ryan replied. "You here on a basketball scholarship?"

Alex realized that Ryan took him for a jock. He smiled. "Partly." But it hadn't been just basketball that had gotten him into Yale's pre-med program. "What are you majoring in? Or have you decided yet?"

"Quantum physics," Ryan said.

"Excellent!" Alex said.

"And I'm not going to help you with your science or math assignments."

Alex chuckled. "No worries. I wouldn't think of asking."

There was a knock at the door, and they both called out, "Come in."

Chase and Sully opened the door but didn't enter. "We just wanted to say 'goodbye'," Sully said.

"Thanks for the ride," Alex said. "Is Pat settled in?"

"Yes, he seems to be," Chase replied. "Well, we'll see you, probably at Steven's wedding."

"Right. Bye! And thanks again. It was so much faster and easier than driving."

They closed the door again and left.

Ryan hesitated, but finally asked, "Who were they?"

"Chase and Sully? They work with my parents, and their son, who's an incoming Freshman, is a friend of mine," Alex explained.

"Another basketball player?" Ryan asked.

Alex chuckled. "Hardly." Patrick, who was shorter than Chase, had been a first-class soccer player at Mercer High School. But he'd also been valedictorian of his graduating class, and was attending Yale to study Nuclear Biology.

Alex wondered if he should set the record straight with Ryan, or just let him find out for himself.

**Chapter 2.**

"Well, I guess it's time for us to go home," Gretchen said reluctantly. "A.G., time to say 'goodbye'."

The little boy began to pout. He was having too much fun.

"Can't you stay for dinner?" Cameron asked her daughter. She didn't want them to go either.

"Better yet, why don't we all go to G & G?" House suggested. They didn't go as often as they used to. The kids were grown and busy with their lives. But it was time to initiate the next generation.

Gretchen looked at Scott, expecting that he wouldn't mind. He shrugged. "I'm always up for a good hamburger and a shot at 'Hammerhead'." That was one of the newer games. He scooped up A.G. and told the boy, "Let's go get some dinner with Grandma and Grandpa, and then I'll show you something fun."

"OK," A.G. said. "Can Sadie come too?"

"'Fraid not, Scout," Scott said. "She needs to rest up. I think you wore her out."

The boy seemed to consider that but seeing the dog sprawled on the ground, he accepted it.

They drove to Games and Grub in the House's old family bus. When they walked into the restaurant, they found it as crowded as ever. It had changed over the years, but was still a popular eatery for families.

After a short wait, they were taken to a table for six and one of the chairs replaced with a toddler seat for A.G. As his mother strapped him in, the boy saw people he knew. "Nana! Papa!"

Sure enough, Clair and Arthur had just entered, followed by Emily and Tommy.

"This is where you were going for dinner?" Gretchen asked her two friends with a grin when they came over to say 'hello'.

"We all decided it had been too long since we had a G & G burger," Tommy replied.

The restaurant staff were able to move over another table and rearrange the chairs so that Emily, Tommy, Clair and Arthur could join them.

"Just like old times!" House commented, only slightly sarcastically. But part of visiting G & G was sharing meals with their friends.

"Except some of the usual suspects are missing," Tommy commented.

It had seemed lately that the only times they'd all gotten together was for weddings and holidays. In fact, the last time had been at Audra's grandfather's funeral two months before.

A waitress took their orders, and they all settled down to chat and wait for their food.

"Well, I'm ready for something to eat," Alex declared. "Wanna come with?"

Ryan looked around and realized that he'd done all he could for a while. Besides, he was hungry, too. "Sure, why not?"

They walked across to the next building which housed the refectory serving their dorm and two others. It was crowded with students, but Alex spotted Pat and a dark-haired, dark-eyed kid sitting at a table with two empty seats.

"C'mon," he told Ryan and led the way.

"Alex!" Pat greeted him. "Come meet Luis, my roommate."

"Welcome to Yale." Alex held out a hand and Luis shook it. "This is my roommate, Ryan."

Ryan nodded at the two Freshman and took one of the empty chairs.

As Alex sat too, Pat continued, "Luis wants to study robotics and medicine. Like Scott and Tony did."

"Outrageous!" Alex said and Pat laughed.

"You know someone in the medical robotics field?" Ryan asked.

"My brother-in-law and his partner started their work with that," Alex replied. "They were roommates here about ten years ago."

"They've invented some fantastic devices, not just robots," Pat attested.

Alex looked at what Pat was eating. "How are the burgers? I tend to stay away from them here, 'cause they're no where near as good as the ones at G & G."

"Edible," Pat said. "I guess I'm too hungry to care."

But Ryan was still thinking about what they'd been talking about before. "You have a sister?" he asked Alex. It figured that if he had a brother-in-law, he did.

"Yes, and so does Pat."

"I've got a brother and a sister," Luis said.

"Me, too," Ryan said.

"Well, I'm going to get something to eat. How about you, Ryan?" Alex stood but didn't leave until Ryan rose, too, and they went together.

Food was served cafeteria style with a choice of hot entrees, burgers (both meat and vegetarian) and chicken breast sandwiches, deli sandwiches, and salads. Alex and Ryan got in line.

The young man in front of them turned and asked Alex, "Are you in McDougal's ten o'clock Infectious Disease class?"

Alex nodded. "Hope it's as much fun as last year's Anatomy 101," he told his classmate, Jonathan.

"Nothing could top that, but we'll see," Jon said.

Alex found Ryan staring at him. Realization was beginning to set in. Alex smiled and looked toward the front of the line, only to freeze his gaze when it fell on the profile of a girl he'd never seen before, standing a few people in front of him. She was quite beautiful with even features accentuated by bright hazel eyes (or at least the one he saw), full lips, and long dark hair that swung as she turned her head to talk to the pretty blond girl next to her.

"Alex?" Ryan tapped his shoulder to urge him to move forward and close the gap that had opened up in front of them. "Do you know them too?" he asked, indicating the two coeds.

"No, but I'm going to," Alex said with a grin.

When they'd finally picked their food and shown the cashier their meal vouchers, they saw the two girls not far away, looking around the room, probably for two seats together. Ryan walked up to them and said, "Hi, I'm Ryan Stewart. There are some seats over there." He led them to the table where they had been sitting with Pat and Luis.

Alex followed, wondering how the four of them would be able to occupy the two seats. Although Pat and his roommate were probably finished eating, he didn't think they were ready to leave yet.


	2. Chapters 3 and 4

_Glad you've all joined me for this fifth story in my series. As always, I'd love to read your comments. _

**Chapter 3.**

A.G. dipped a French fry in ketchup and bit it, then took another in his other hand and did the same thing, spreading ketchup all over his face in the process. Both of his grandmothers smiled at him.

"Gretchen used to do that too," Cameron said.

The face of the woman in question turned red without the aid of any condiments. "Mom! I did not."

"I'm afraid you did!" Clair said. "Emily, on the other hand, hated to get her face dirty. She went through a whole box of napkins with each meal."

"That's the problem with having mothers with good memories." Emily rolled her eyes.

After they finished eating, Gretchen and Scott took their son to the game room. Emily and Tommy went with them, along with House.

"Let me show A.G. Fiddlesticks Junior," House told his daughter. He took the little boy's hand and led him to the part of the noisy room reserved for the youngest gamers. "You know the game we were playing this afternoon on my computer?"

The little boy nodded.

"Well, this is the same thing." He handed A.G. the controller and showed him which buttons to push. The child laughed as the characters on the screen responded to what he did.

Meanwhile, his parents and their friends had arrived at the Hammerhead game. Not many gamers had discovered it yet, so the waiting line wasn't long.

The two teenage boys in front of the two couples looked at them in surprise. One of them, short and thin, asked, "Have you tried this game before?"

Scott answered for them all, "Not yet, but I've been wanting to."

The other boy, taller but just as skinny, couldn't take his eyes off the two pregnant women. "You should start with some of the kiddie games," he told them.

Gretchen and Emily exchanged smiles. "We've been playing VR games since before you were born," Gretchen said.

"Has it really been that long?" Em asked her. "That makes me feel sooo old!" Her husband laughed.

A young man came over to say, "Scott, we haven't seen you here in a while. Hi Gretchen, Tommy, Em!"

"Neil!" Scott greeted his old friend. "How's it going?" Neil was the new owner-operator of Games and Grub. Although he was a lawyer with a busy practice, his longtime love for video games made it a natural.

"The place looks as good as ever," Gretchen said.

"Thanks. Where's your dad? He still owes me a rematch on 'Fighting Frenzy'."

"He's teaching our rugrat the fine points of 'Fiddlesticks Junior'." Scott replied and Neil laughed.

"Well, enjoy 'Hammerhead'. It's a great game." Neil slapped Scott on the back and walked away.

When they reached the table, Ryan tapped the shoulders of two students sitting across from Pat and Luis. They were just finishing their desserts. "Can you speed that up? We need your seats. You wouldn't want these lovely ladies to eat standing up, would you?"

Completely intimidated by him, the two shoved the rest of their food in their mouths and got up. Ryan smiled at them, as they left.

"Thanks," the pretty blond told Ryan as she took one of the chairs. "I'm Carla, and this is Shannon." She turned to Alex, a look of recognition appearing on her face. "You were in my comparative cultures class last spring. Alex, right?"

"Yes," Alex admitted. "And the two characters opposite you are Pat and Luis."

Carla flashed them both a sweet smile. The gorgeous Shannon still hadn't said a word.

"So what's your major?" Pat blurted.

Carla laughed at the trite question.

"Don't mind him," Alex said with a smile. "He's a Freshman."

"Alex!" Pat protested.

"Linguistics," Carla said, smiling at Pat.

"You mean like language?" Luis asked.

"Yes. How languages developed and how people acquire language."

"What about you, Shannon?" Alex asked., determined to get the dark-haired beauty to speak.

"Theater," she said simply. That made sense. Yale was known for their drama department that had produced such actors as Meryl Streep, Paul Newman, Sigourney Weaver, and more recently, Leah Brenner and Glenn Blackwood.

"Are you planning to be the next Leah Brenner?" Ryan asked.

"Bigger," she said, flashing a smile worthy of a movie star.

"And you four?" Carla wanted to know.

"Medical robotics," Luis said.

"And Alex and I are both pre-med," Pat added.

Ryan raised an eyebrow before he said, "Quantum Physics for me."

"That's a lot of brains," Carla commented with another smile, but Shannon didn't seem to be as impressed.

**Chapter 4.**

"Alex!" Pat shouted as he walked across the campus to his first class on Monday. Alex stopped and turned toward the source. He smiled when he realized that it was Pat.

"Where are you heading?" Alex asked when Pat caught up with him.

"Anatomy," the Freshman replied.

"With McDougal?" At Pat's nod, Alex said, "Great class. He's one of the best."

"So I've heard," Pat said. "Um, I wanted to ask you. Are you planning on asking Shannon out?"

Alex narrowed his eyes. "I'd like to," he said.

"Oh." Pat was very disappointed. With someone like Alex wanting to date her, what chance did he have? But what bothered him more was how hurt his little sister would be. He knew that Moira had a huge crush on Alex House, and he'd always hope that Alex liked her just as much. Did this mean it wasn't going to happen?

"Pat, if you're interested in her, I won't ask her out," Alex said.

"Oh, well she'd probably never look twice at a 'younger' guy like me," Pat replied.

Alex chuckled. "You're not that much younger than I am, less than a year. And you could probably have any girl you want." Lots of the girls at Mercer High had been infatuated with Patrick Chase. Maybe it was the floppy blond hair.

They'd reached the building where Pat's class was. "Well, I'll see you," Pat said as he started up the stairs to the front doors of the colonial style brick building.

"See you later!" Alex called, waving at him.

Alex's classical literature class was in the next building. He easily found room 228 on the second floor. Looking around the room to see if he knew anyone, he smiled when he saw Carla sitting toward the front. The seat next to her was empty so he took it.

"I thought you were pre-med," she said. "Last year you were in my comparative cultures class and now this?"

Alex shrugged. "I guess they like doctors to be well-rounded. We have to take a few liberal arts and humanities courses in addition to all the science and medicine, and this one sounded interesting."

Carla nodded. "Yeah, I have to take some math and science. I don't mind, though. I've always been pretty good at math."

"There's a relationship between math and language, I guess. I mean as expressions of things." Alex continued to look around. "Is Shannon in this class, too?" He tried to sound nonchalant.

"Shannon?" Carla knew why he'd asked. The story of her life, guys asking her about her prettier friends and especially her cousin. "Maybe if it were a course on Shakespeare, or Ibsen or Mamet or one of those other playwrights." She shook her head. "No. I hope you're not too disappointed."

"As long as the professor is not as long-winded as Donelli was in Comparative Cultures, it'll probably be very interesting." He'd already decided that Carla was interesting, maybe not as a potential girlfriend, but as a friend.

After all the years that House had worked at PPTH, he still kept the same hours. He arrived Monday morning at ten. At least it was still morning, and he knew his team didn't have a patient.

Audra Appleton had left his team two years earlier to work for her uncle. House had seen the strawberry blond go from a nine-year-old waif who hated hospitals, scarred by the deaths of her mother and grandmother from cancer, to an accomplished oncologist and a lovely and confident young woman.

He'd replaced her with Peter Ordonez, a short young man with a thin mustache, who was a good enough cardiologist and had an encyclopedic knowledge about all kinds of diseases. House wasn't sure of the importance of that in an age when an easily searchable medical database was at the fingertips of every doctor, but he did know how well his own vast knowledge had served him over the years.

Suzanne Marquette, a statuesque woman with shoulder length black hair, had also been with him for a couple of years. She'd been a good addition to the team from the start with an ability to focus on each patient to the exclusion of anything else. Of course, that could have it's drawbacks when she ignored what she considered extraneous information, but that single-minded concentration led to solid diagnoses more often than not.

The newest member of the team was Carter Pennington. House wondered if the adage about not trusting someone with two first names also applied to someone with two last names. In his first two months, Pennington had yet to prove himself one way or the other.

The three young doctors sat dutifully at the conference table, waiting for him to give them a case to discuss. They chatted quietly together. The last few cases had bored him. It was becoming increasingly rare for him to be given a case that was new or challenging. Sometimes he thought he had more fun watching A.G. than diagnosing patients.

Was it time for him to retire?


	3. Chapters 5 and 6

_We're still just getting started with this story. Glad everyone's finding it, favoriting it, reading and commenting. I hope you continue to enjoy it. _

**Chapter 5.**

House and Wilson walked into the PPTH cafeteria together as they'd done so often over the years. They got their lunches, Wilson paid, and they joined Marty who was already eating a hamburger and fries.

"It still amazes me how they've grown up and what lovely young women they've become," he said, indicating a nearby table where Gretchen, Emily and Audra sat eating and laughing together.

"They sure make doctors more and more beautiful every day," Wilson said, looking at the three women.

"Oh, I don't know," House said. "What about our wives?" The brothers smiled at him and nodded.

"Sometimes I think it's time to turn this place over to the new generation," Wilson said.

"You mean retire?" Marty asked.

"Maybe."

"And what would you do? You don't play golf, you don't fish," his brother pointed out.

"He cooks," House said.

Marty shook his head. "Jimmy lives for this place. Medicine is his life. Yours too."

"Hey, I never said anything about retiring," House replied, ignoring the fact that he'd been thinking earlier about just that.

Marty shook his head again. "You'll both be here forever. Lisa, too."

Over at the other table, Emily asked Audra, "When are you going to California?"

"Thursday," she answered before taking another bite of her tuna sandwich. She chewed and swallowed before adding, "Justin will be talking to the manufacturer of the new fuel cells on Friday. He hopes that they'll work as power sources for the houses in Appleton Estates, and maybe others in the Princeton area."

"They've gotta be better than solar power proved to be," Gretchen said. After many years of trying that approach, everyone had decided that New Jersey just didn't get enough sun to make that efficient.

"Justin's dad hopes to use them in any new houses and office buildings he constructs in the area, too," Audra told her friends.

"You'll be back before next week, won't you?" Em asked.

"We expect to return on Tuesday," Audra said. "Don't worry Em, I'll be here when you deliver." It was getting closer and closer to her delivery date.

Audra looked at her two pregnant friends. When she and Justin had gotten married four years before, they'd agreed to wait to start a family. That suited her, since the entire prospect of being pregnant and giving birth scared her. She knew that was strange for a doctor, but it was how she felt. And it wasn't that lovemaking with her husband was unpleasant. She quite enjoyed it, in fact. Very much.

But now she was beginning to rethink their decision. Maybe she'd bring it up at dinner with Justin that night.

"I'm going to stop and see A.G. before I go upstairs again," Gretchen said. The hospital had set up a day care facility for the children of hospital staff eight years before. It was the perfect place for the toddler, near his parents, both sets of grandparents, and his Aunt Emily and Uncle Tommy.

The three women put their lunch trays on the conveyor, left the cafeteria, and then parted ways.

Alex's classical literature class had proven to be very interesting and the professor had been entertaining. He'd taught literature at Cambridge University for many years before coming to the States to teach at Yale. He obviously loved his subject.

Unfortunately, the graduate student lecturer for Hematology had droned on and on about blood types and blood-borne diseases, platelets and factors, and plasma and whole blood transfusions. He seemed intent on including the entire course syllabus in one rambling, rapid, and often mumbled lecture. A number of the students had dozed off. Alex vowed to read the course material from the download on his computer so that he could get something out of the class.

The infectious disease course with McDougal, on the other hand, promised to be even better than his diagnostics class the previous year. The man showed up in his customary mismatched plaid pants, striped shirt, and polka dot tie, looking like a circus clown, but Alex knew that was just to get their attention.

He certainly knew his medicine and conveyed it with sprinkles of fascinating, funny, and sometimes lewd stories. Alex walked out of that class with a smile on his face.

Heading toward the dining hall, he saw Shannon walking in the same direction. "Shannon!" he called to her.

She stopped and turned, but from her frown, he wasn't sure she remembered him.

"It's Alex House," he reminded her.

She nodded. "Yeah, we met at dinner." But she was still not smiling.

"Is something wrong?" he asked. Like his sister, Alex had inherited their mother's compassionate nature.

"Jarvis said I don't know how to deliver a line!" she complained. "Me!"

"Jarvis?"

"My 20th Century drama professor. Last year, Baldwin said I was one of the best! But Jarvis? Hah! I'll show him!"

Alex wasn't sure what to say to calm her down. "Are you going to lunch?" he asked. "C'mon, let's go get some food and you can tell me all about it."

**Chapter 6.**

Alex and Shannon selected their food. He noticed that she picked up a salad and an iced tea again and smiled. Girls! He'd gotten a roast beef sandwich, chips, an apple, a coke and dessert and expected to eat it all.

Ryan called to them from a table near the cashiers. There were several empty chairs at the table.

"Shannon didn't have the best of mornings," Alex announced, as he placed his tray on the table. "I thought we could cheer her up."

Ryan turned a look of support to the dark-haired beauty with the hazel eyes as she sat down across from them both.

"It was my 20th Century Drama prof, Jarvis," she said, and went on to lament what he'd told her, all the while basking in the admiration and sympathy of the two tall and handsome young men.

Shannon had learned a long time before that the best way for her to attract any male was to downplay her intelligence and her ability to take care of herself. They'd fall all over themselves to come to her rescue. And these two were no exception.

"Well, I've got a one o'clock class," she finally said after swallowing her last bite of radicchio. "Thank you both so much! You've made me feel much better!" She rose and started to take her tray, but Alex put a hand on it and said, "I'll get that for you." She flashed a big smile at him and left.

Alex and Ryan watched her go, her long dark hair swinging with each step. "Twenty dollars says I can get her to go out with me," Alex said.

"Not it I ask her first!" Ryan claimed.

After leaving her friends, Emily headed for Tommy's office. They had an obstetrics appointment at one o'clock.

Tommy's office was close to his mother's. With a medical degree, and studies in hospital administration and public relations, he handled all of the PR for PPTH, issuing announcements, speaking at civic events, and designing the hospital web site and brochures.

Emily knocked on his door and walked in. "Hi! We missed you at lunch."

"You need some girl time once in a while, and I had a conference call with the folks at two hospitals in Chicago and Los Angeles," Tommy said, smiling at her. She looked so adorable with that basketball shaped protrusion that made her waddle instead of walk. He stood and put an arm around her shoulders. "Let's go, little mama."

She smiled at him and they walked back out the door. They took the elevator to the Ob/Gyn floor. Although the waiting room was busy, they found two seats right away. They knew they wouldn't have to wait long, but Em was finding it more and more difficult to stand for any length of time.

Sure enough, in less than five minutes one of the nurses called 'Emily Wilson', and led them to one of the exam rooms. She gave Emily a gown to change into, then told them, "Dr. Chung will be with you soon," and left them alone.

Nelson Chung entered just as Emily got the gown on. "Hey, Tom, Em!"

Emily had known Nelson for a shorter time than Tommy, but still considered him an old friend. She smiled at him.

"Looks like you've started to drop," Nelson said, nodding. "Let's take a look and then we can do another ultrasound."

Even with the latest equipment, some things were still the same, including the examination table and stirrups. Emily struggled a bit to get up and then into position, but both men knew better than to try to help her.

"You haven't started to dilate yet," Nelson announced after a couple of minutes of his exam. "But I think she's moving into position. I'd guess ten days max."

Emily and Tommy exchanged smiles as he readied the sonogram wand. He placed it on the round bulge that had long ago replaced her flat stomach and three pair of eyes became riveted to the monitor screen. They could see the baby's arms and legs moving. Their smiles broadened.

"She's gonna be a good swimmer," Nelson predicted.

"Oh, Tommy, this is so awesome!" Emily said. "I can't wait to hold her in my arms."


	4. Chapters 7 and 8

_Thanks so much for reading. I'm loving the comments._

**C****hapter 7.**

Audra arrived home at 5:30 to find Justin already there. They'd been living in her grandparents' house on Lemon Tree Court since they'd been married. Her grandfather, Nils, had insisted, since the house would be hers anyway when he died. He'd moved into a senior citizen community that had been built on the edge of Appleton Estates. Many of his friends already lived there. He'd lived there happily until his recent death.

Of course, Audra and Justin could have lived in the Appleton mansion with his parents, but everyone had agreed that the young couple needed a home of their own.

"You're home early," Audra said with a big smile.

Justin nodded. "I've got a conference call scheduled with Fontana and Page in California in about an hour, but figured I could come home and spend some quality time with my wonderful wife." He came closer and took her in his arms to kiss her sweet lips.

"Hmmm. You should have called," she said. "I would have gotten here earlier," she murmured.

In four years they'd made the place their own, replacing her grandfather's austere furnishings with more homey and comfortable pieces. The couple walked arm-in-arm into the living room and settled together on the couch upholstered in warm shades of tans, browns and red.

A large calico cat came over to investigate. They each reached out to stroke Maxie once but had something else on their minds, and she walked away again.

Justin had learned quickly what pleased and excited his wife. She was only too happy to reciprocate. Before long, the floor in front of the couch was littered with their pants, shirts, and undergarments. Justin's hands roamed Audra's slender body, savoring every inch. But once he'd reached her most sensitive spot, she whispered in his ear, "Take me now."

He didn't need any more urging. When they joined, they lost all sense of where they were. All that existed were the sensations they felt together, the jolts of excitement, and the final burst of ecstasy.

Afterwards, they lay together, entangled on the couch, her cheek pressed against his bare chest. His fingers ran through her long strawberry blond hair as he took in the lingering scent of her shampoo. They stayed like that for more than fifteen minutes, but then he reluctantly looked at his watch.

"I've got to call Fontana and Page." He extricated himself from her arms and gave her one more kiss.

"I'll make dinner meanwhile. Stir-fry and rice or Swedish meatballs?" Audra asked. She'd turned into an excellent cook. The combined influence of her grandmother and Marty and Nancy had provided her with an extensive repertoire of recipes.

"The meatballs with those great noodles," Justin replied.

"Of course."

By the time dinner was ready to eat, he was off the phone.

"Everything set for your meetings with them?" Audra asked.

"Seems to be." He nodded. He began his salad as Audra brought their plates to the table, then sat to join him.

For a few moments they were busy eating but when she finished her salad and pulled her dinner plate closer, she said, "I had lunch with Gretchen and Emily today."

"Nothing unusual about that," Justin said, but he knew she brought it up for a reason. "How are they both doing? Still getting fat?"

Audra smiled. "Yes. Em doesn't have much longer." She took a deep breath and let it out before she said, "Justin, I know we decided to wait a while to have a child, but it's been four years."

"Did you catch the mommy bug from your friends?" he asked, but he was smiling. Audra hoped that meant he was OK with the idea. "Guess we'll have to have a repeat performance of what we did before your phone call." His smile became a grin, and Audra breathed a sigh of relief and smiled too.

"Tommy said that he and Emily saw Nelson Chung today," Cuddy told Wilson as they ate dinner. "He told them it'll be less than ten days."

"You're excited, aren't you?" he said with a grin.

"Does it show?" She smirked at him. "I never thought I'd ever have a child, and then we had Tommy. Now we're going to have a grandchild. A girl! Of course I'm excited!"

Wilson continued to grin at her. He was excited too. He'd been a little jealous of House after A.G. was born. Now he thought about what he'd talked about with House and Marty earlier in the day. "Did you ever think about retiring and staying home to take care of the baby for Tommy and Emily?" he asked.

"What? No, not really." She seemed to think about it. "Maybe once she's here I'll change my mind. Jim, you're not thinking of retiring are you?" She sounded surprised.

"No, not really," he insisted.

"James?" He'd gotten her wondering. They were both in their late sixties, but there was no mandatory retirement age at the hospital. They'd both vowed a while back that they wouldn't retire until House did.

"Let's just drop it," Wilson said. But he knew this wasn't the end of the conversation. "Do you know what they're going to call our granddaughter?"

"I think they each have a few favorites, but they haven't decided yet," Cuddy said. "Tommy likes Abigail and Tianna, and Emily prefers Samantha and Jenessa. They also talked about using my name and Clair's or maybe combining them, Clarissa."

Wilson smiled. He liked all of those names, and he'd successfully changed the topic of conversation.

**Chapter 8. **

Carla sat on the steps to the library, her feet on the step below and her knees drawn up to form a kind of table. She was checking the messages on her handheld when she sensed someone sit down next to her. Make that two people. Two males.

"Hi Pat, Alex," she said. "How're things going?"

"Fine," Pat said.

"Were you able to access the reference Professor Cuthbert told us about?" Alex asked her.

She nodded. "But it wasn't easy. Since there are so many Tanaka's, I had to try every transliteration of Haruhiko I could think of. I finally found the reference under 'Arohego'" They both laughed.

"Japanese names are usually easier than Russian or Chinese ones, but I guess not this time," Alex said.

"I think that's going to be my favorite class this semester," she told him.

Alex nodded in agreement.

"So, Shannon said she had lunch with you and Ryan yesterday," Carla said.

"She was telling us about the hard time she'd had with her drama professor," Alex told her.

Carla smirked. "She's such a Sarah Bernhardt!"

"Who?" Pat asked.

"Early 20th Century actress. Very melodramatic," Alex said with a smile.

"That's our Shannon," Carla said.

"You've known her a long time?" Pat wanted to know.

"All my life," she replied. "She's my cousin."

"Do you get tired of people asking you about her?" Alex wondered aloud.

Carla smirked again. "I'm used to it. So, you two known each other long?" She'd sensed a comfortable familiarity between the two of them that they didn't share with Ryan or Luis.

"All our lives," Pat replied, echoing what she'd said. "We're not cousins, but might as well be. Our parents work together."

"Pat's parents each worked for my dad at different times, and my mom did, too, at the same time as Pat's dad," Alex explained.

"They're all doctors at the same hospital in New Jersey," Pat added.

"And so that's what you're both going to be."

"At one time I thought I might be a writer," Alex confessed. "But I guess medicine's in the blood." The other two groaned. "Well, I've got an appointment with my adviser in ten minutes." He rose in one fluid movement. "See you both." He took off down one of the paths between buildings, his long stride making short work of the distance.

"So, Carla, have you had any lunch yet?" Pat asked, turning his undivided attention to the pretty woman next to him.

"Yes, I did, but you can buy me some coffee if you'd like," she said, smiling at him.

Gretchen finally had a moment free to visit with her son. She always made sure to do that at least once during the day.

He sat on the carpeted floor of the Daycare facility with two other toddlers, his best friends. She knew the parents of the boy and girl. The girl's father taught cardiology in the medical school and the boy's mother was a surgical nurse.

"Mommy, look what we built!" shouted A.G.

The construction consisted of interconnected towers made out of colorful plastic blocks in assorted shapes with surfaces that adhered to each other by some kind of magnetic attraction.

"Wow!" she told him and his friends. "You guys did an outrageous job!"

"Can you help us?" A.G. asked.

"Oh honey! You know I can't get down there so easily." The truth was, it was the getting up again that was a problem. "I just came to say 'Hi' to my favorite little guy. Have fun kids. You're doing great!"

They waved at her as she left, three happy and healthy two-year-olds. Unlike the kids she was returning to.

When she reached Pediatric Oncology, a heavyset blond nurse named Toni got her attention. "Dr. Billings, the Wexford boy's mother wanted to talk to you."

It had always annoyed her that Toni referred to the children by their last names. 'The Wexford boy' was named Matthew. She found Matt's mother in the corridor outside his room, pacing and with a worried frown on her pale face.

"Mrs. Wexford, I hear you wanted to see me." She waited for the woman to tell her what was bothering her.

"Matt still has no appetite," Mrs. Wexford complained.

"I explained before he started his therapy that he might feel nauseous or lose his appetite," Gretchen said patiently. "As long as the therapy continues, so will some of the affects. But once they're over, his appetite will return, and you'll be complaining that he's eating you out of house and home. It'll just be another week," she said. "Our tests show that the treatment is working. His tumor is shrinking rapidly and that's what we all wanted."

She knew this mother, like most parents, just wanted reassurance.

"Thank you, Dr. Billings," Mrs. Wexford said. "It's just hard to be patient."

'Don't I know it', Gretchen thought, but said instead, "Matt's doing really well."


	5. Chapters 9 and 10

_In the next chapters we'll be catching up with a few more of the characters in these stories._

_Hope you enjoy!_

**Chapter 9. **

Before Gretchen left her office that day, she had a visit from Audra, and it wasn't about a patient.

"I just heard from Ruth," the oncologist said, taking one of the arm chairs facing Gretchen's desk. "She texted me that she'll be here next week to interview for the nursing opening in NICU."

"She'd give up her position as head Pediatric nurse in Boston to come back here?"

"Don't forget, her parents, brother and sister still live here," Audra replied. "And she still considers all of us her best friends. Oh, she's made friends there, and dated a couple of guys, but you know every time she came back for a wedding or funeral or something, she wished she could stay."

"I always thought one of the main reasons she left was her break-up with Brandon," Gretchen said. "I hope she doesn't think they can get back together again after all this time." She thought a minute. "The rest of us are married, or at least in a relationship. She's going to feel like the odd man out. Unless..." A gleam appeared in her bright blue eyes.

"Gretchen!" Audra admonished, but she was beginning to smile. "You're not thinking what I think you're thinking?"

But of course she was. "The problem is, who do we hook her up with?" Gretchen's eyes had narrowed as she pondered that.

Audra quickly thought about all the single men she knew. "How about Hal Sheehan?" she proposed. The dark-haired man had joined the Oncology staff more than three years before, but no one really knew much about him after all that time. He was very quiet and kept to himself.

"Maybe. But I just thought of a better idea. Charley Lerner," Gretchen said as if it was the long-sought answer to a perplexing problem.

"Doesn't he teach Cardiology in the medical school?" Audra tried to recall the man.

"Yes. And his little daughter, Amy, is one of Alex's preschool friends," Gretchen said. "It's been a year since his wife died. He needs a wife, and Amy definitely needs a mother."

"Yes, I remember the case," Audra said, her face clouding over. "It was soon after I joined Uncle Jim's team. There was nothing we could do for her. The cancer spread too quickly."

"So, you'll help me?" Gretchen asked.

Audra smiled and nodded. It had been a while since Gretchen had played matchmaker, but she was sure she hadn't lost her touch.

Alex was returning to his dorm room after all of his classes were over for the day when he saw Ryan and Shannon walking together slowly just ahead of him. He caught up to them just as Ryan was saying, "I bet that made you feel good!"

"Hi," Alex greeted them, curious to find out what that was about, but he didn't have to wait long.

"Shannon was just telling me that her drama professor reversed himself and told her that her delivery was spot on!" Ryan sounded almost as excited by the news as Shannon looked.

"That's great!" Alex said. "We should celebrate. Shannon, will you go out to dinner with me on Friday night? We can take in the new Adam McCormick flick afterwards."

"He's so old," Ryan commented, making a face.

"But he's an excellent actor, and still handsome and sexy," Shannon responded.

Alex suddenly wondered if seeing a movie with her would be a very different experience. She'd probably analyze each of the actor's performances, what techniques worked, and which ones didn't. "So we're on?" he asked her.

"Sure!" she agreed.

"And then you'll have dinner with ME on Saturday," Ryan said, not to be outdone. "We can decide later what we'll do afterwards."

Shannon chuckled. "You guys are the best! Well, I have to go. Carla and I are having dinner with our Gram. Don't want to keep her waiting."

They watched her go with matching looks of admiration. "They're sisters?" Ryan asked in wonderment, not expecting an answer.

Alex shook his head. "Cousins." In answer to Ryan's raised eyebrows he added, "Carla told me and Pat earlier today."

"Guess I owe you twenty bucks," Ryan said, reaching into his back pocket for his wallet. "You did ask her first."

"Keep it. You'll probably need it for Saturday night," Alex said.

"Oh, I can spare it," Ryan said with a chuckle.

**Chapter 10.**

Gretchen and A.G. were waiting for Scott in the hospital lobby late that afternoon so that they could go home when she saw Rebecca Foreman coming their way.

"'Becca!" Gretchen asked. The pretty young woman with the dark honey colored skin had been younger than A.G. when Gretchen first met her. It seemed so long ago. Come to think of it, it was twenty years, Gretchen realized. "How are your classes going?"

"Much more intense than college," 'Becca said. "Then again, you all told me med school was hard." She smiled at Gretchen. From the first time she'd met a nine-year-old Gretchen at the Wilson's house she'd idolized her, almost as much as she idolized her cousin Jahzara. "Hi A.G.," she said to the little boy, who was looking shyly up at her.

"A.G., you remember 'Becca, don't you?" Gretchen asked him.

He nodded his head.

"I bet you're excited about the wedding," Gretchen said with a smile. "Will Jahzara be able to come? I haven't seen her in a couple of years."

'Becca shook her head. "She's still in Botswana. The drought is getting worse, and so is the famine. They need doctors like her."

Gretchen nodded in understanding. She'd always thought that if she didn't have Scott and their son, she might want to do the same, but she didn't regret the life she had. She knew she was doing good right where she was.

"Daddy!" A.G. shouted.

Scott scooped him up as he joined them and greeted 'Becca, then asked Gretchen, "Ready to go?"

Gretchen said, "Sure. Bye 'Becca," and the three of them went out the door together.

After dinner, Alex and Ryan returned to their dorm room. The first thing Alex did was to check his messages. There was one from his mother, just to say 'hi', and another from the Hematology lecturer correcting the assignment he'd given earlier in the day. Alex rolled his eyes. He also saw that Steven and Joey were jabbering. Jabbertalkee was the latest communication vehicle that allowed an easy combination of text and speech with pictures. He hadn't talked to either of them since the day he'd arrived at school. He joined their jabber session.

Alex: Hi, guys, how's it going?

Joe: I think Steven's getting cold feet.

Steve: No way!

Alex: 'Becca is so perfect for you. _[Joey, you will be able to be there for the wedding, right?]_

Joe: _[Yes, I already put in for leave. It should work out really well. We have a week of flying exercises that end a few days before.]_

Alex: _[Great!]_

Steve: Alex, how are your classes?

Alex: Except for an idiot hematology lecturer, they're going great!

Joe: And your roommate?

Alex: He's turned out to be a good guy. Of course, we're both interested in the same woman.

Steve: Already!? What about Pat?

Alex: I think Pat's decided he prefers her cousin.

Joe: So this girl, she's hot?

Alex: Sizzling!

Joe: Ha! Well, gotta go. Time for chow.

Alex: Bye Joey.

Steve: Bye.

Steve: _[So she's pretty?]_

Alex: _[Gorgeous. She's a drama major. Long dark hair, great figure.]_

Steve: What about Moira?

Alex: What about her?

Steve: Have you talked to her since you've been there?

Alex: No.

There was no jabbering for a full minute.

Alex: So, did you find an apartment?

Steve: Yes, well, Becca did, but I like it, too. It's between my office downtown and PPTH.

Alex: That's convenient. Tell her I said 'Hi'. Talk to you soon.

Steve: Later.

Alex saw that Ryan was watching him, and listening whenever he spoke. "Jabbering with someone?" Ryan asked.

"My two best friends. Steven's getting married next month. He's older than us, graduated from Princeton last May." It occurred to him that Steve was famous enough that Ryan might have heard of him. "Steve Wilson, the cartoonist."

Ryan's eyes went wide. He did indeed know of him. "You said two friends." He wondered if Alex's other friend was also famous.

Alex nodded. "Joey's in the Air Force. They're teaching him to fly and at the same time sending him through school."

"Everyone knows how to fly," Ryan said with a shrug.

"Not just flitters. I mean real planes. Commercial jets and fighters."

"Do your friends' parents also work with yours?" Ryan asked.

"Steven's do. And his bride-to-be is attending the medical school at the hospital."

"But you do know people who aren't associated with the hospital?"

"A few," Alex said with a grin. "So where are you taking Shannon?" he asked, changing the subject.

"I'm making a reservation at Antonio's" Ryan said, naming one of the best restaurants in New Haven.

Alex whistled. "That's serious! I was thinking of Pelican's." That was a seafood place, moderately priced, and near the multiplex.

"Let the better man win," Ryan said.

Alex agreed with a smile.


	6. Chapters 11 and 12

Here's some more. Enjoy.

**Chapter 11.**

Audra and Justin took their flitter to Newark Gateway. It was a very new model that could fly at an altitude of over three thousand feet, compared to most flitters that flew at two thousand. Still, they kept to the established flight lanes for personal aircraft. They landed on the rooftop lot designated on their commercial jet tickets and descended to the gate for their plane to California.

It wasn't the first time Justin had flown to the West Coast, but Audra had never accompanied him before. As they waited for their flight to be called, she looked around the terminal. Justin noticed the large number of males looking at her and smiled. He was very proud of his beautiful wife. He thought she looked like Gwyneth Paltrow had in her earliest pictures.

"I'm so excited!" she said. "This trip is going to be so much fun!"

Justin laughed indulgently. "Of course, I'll be working some of the time, but I'm sure I can squeeze in some time with you." He put an arm around her shoulders and kissed her cheek.

"Well, I promise not to spend too much money shopping while I wait for you."

"You? You're one of the most frugal woman I know!" Justin said.

Their flight was called and they boarded. The trip was scheduled to take about two and a half hours at supersonic speed. With the time difference, they arrived at LAX before they left.

A shuttle took them to their nearby hotel. A bellhop led them to their suite on the fifth floor. And finally they were alone in their well-appointed room.

"Hungry?" Justin asked, spotting the room service menu on the desk.

"Not really," Audra said, then added, "Except for you."

Alex had been looking forward to his Infectious Diseases class. It was so much better than Hematology, mainly because of Professor McDougal. He'd been Alex's best professor in his Freshman year and continued to be his favorite. The professor had almost all of his students engaged in discussion of the material they were studying, and it made for a lively class.

Everyone was on time and seated by the time the tall, stooped man entered the classroom. Without any preamble, McDougal plunged right in. "Today we're talking about influenza, that ubiquitous condition continuing to plague mankind despite our best efforts to prevent or control it. The viruses that cause the symptoms we dub 'flu' seem to be smarter than our most skillful and knowledgeable doctors and researchers. So what do we, as medical professionals do?"

"Maybe, instead of coming up with more and more antibiotics, which only encourage the viruses to mutate and recombine, they should find a way to prevent the mutations," Alex's friend Jonathan suggested. He'd read about researchers who'd proposed and even attempted to do that.

"We've come a long way in understanding the DNA of the viruses, but manipulating that to force benign mutations has proven difficult," Alex said.

"I read that some of the first studies of virus DNA involved identification of isolated viruses so that doctors could know what antibiotic would work," a heavyset and very bright young woman named Roberta said.

McDougal nodded. "And that work was initiated about twenty years ago before most of you were born by a female Immunologist during an outbreak of what was called the Brazilian flu."

Alex smiled. He'd heard that story all his life.

The professor noticed and asked, "Mr. House, you have something to add to that?"

"She found that it was caused by two symbiotic viruses, a known strain causing the overt symptoms and a new one that affected the shape of the blood cells."

McDougal nodded again, impressed by his knowledge. "I hope that all of you will become the kind of doctor that Dr. Cameron was."

"Is," Alex muttered the correction, then said more loudly, "She's still practicing and still seeking answers."

When the class was over, Professor McDougal asked Alex to stay behind. "You seem to know a lot about Dr. Cameron and her research."

Alex smiled. "She's my mom."

With his bushy eyebrows raised, the professor asked, "Would she be willing to talk to this class? She wouldn't have to come here, just arrange videoconferencing."

"I think she would," Alex said. "I'll ask her."

**Chapter 12.**

More than an hour later, Justin began to disentangle himself from his wife's arms. He kissed her cheek and whispered in her ear, "I have to get up and get ready to meet Jack Fontana."

"Mmm," she murmured. "I guess I'll get up with you."

"You can stay here." He got out of bed, but stood there looking at her. "Get some rest so you're ready for round two later."

She sat up, holding the sheet around herself, and admiring his naked form. "I think I'll take a nice long bath in the jacuzzi tub." The well-equipped bathroom of their suite had impressed her.

"Without me?" Justin pouted.

Audra chuckled. "Well, maybe I'll wait on that until you come back. Then you can scrub my back."

He leaned over to kiss her, then went to shower. When he returned, she'd wrapped herself in the fluffy white robe she'd found in the closet. She was on her phone, talking to Nancy, but ended the call. "I wanted to let my mom know we arrived."

"And next you'll be calling your friends, and your dad, and whoever else you think of," he predicted.

She smiled sheepishly. "I'll call your mom too," she offered.

Justin nodded. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. "I shouldn't be more than a couple of hours. If it takes longer I'll call."

"I'll probably explore the hotel amenities," she said.

"OK. Tomorrow, I promise to take you sightseeing before we leave for San Francisco and my meeting with Page."

"Sounds good." She kissed him once more before she let him go.

After her phone calls, Audra showered and washed her hair, then dressed in one of the simple shifts that Tori had been proclaiming were the latest in Fall fashion. It was a straw-colored linen with bright turquoise cap sleeves and a matching belt. It fit her slim figure beautifully.

She put her room key into her purse along with her phone, and took the elevator to the mezzanine level of the hotel. According to the hotel information, that's where an outdoor promenade circled the building and off of it were shops, restaurants, a spa and a beauty salon, and a pool and a gym.

Audra took her time exploring, but had almost made a complete circuit when her phone jingled with the song that had been played at her wedding. She smiled as she answered. "Hi, Justin."

"Hi. I wanted to let you know that Jack wants us to have dinner with him and his wife."

"Oh!" She mentally rethought what she'd planned for when Justin returned to the hotel.

"I'll be back soon, and then they'll pick us up at around seven," he said.

"So we can still fit in the jacuzzi into the schedule?" she asked hopefully.

"We'd better! I've been looking forward to it all afternoon!" Justin said. "See you soon, Audey."

"See you very soon."

"Dr. Billings!"

Gretchen turned and saw Mr. and Mrs. Wexford coming towards her.

"Dr. Billings, my husband and I want a real oncologist to see Matthew," Mrs. Wexford said causing Gretchen to cringe.

She bit her lip. She'd had difficult parents to work with before, but usually she could charm or manipulate them. "OK, I'll call the head of the Oncology department and ask him to consult on Matt's case." She walked to the nearby nurse's station and called Wilson's extension.

The Wexfords were watching her with smug smiles on their faces.

Gretchen glanced at them as Wilson answered and she began to speak. "Dr. Wilson, this is Dr. Billings in Pediatric Oncology. I'd like you to review the case of a patient here."

"Is there a problem?" he asked. She never called him 'Dr. Wilson.'

"Yes." She chose her words carefully knowing the couple could hear her. "His parents are concerned that he hasn't regained his appetite."

"I'm sure you explained that was a common side affect of his chemo."

"Yes." She pursed her lips as she thought about what else to say. "Thank you for taking the time to talk to them and examine Matthew."

"They're there now and you want me to come immediately," he guessed.

"Yes."

"OK. I'll be right there."

Gretchen turned to the parents. "Dr. Wilson is on his way," she told them. "I'll pull up Matt's records." She went to a terminal near the desk.

While they waited, they heard Nurse Toni call out, "Dr. Wilson, can you look in on the Collins kid?"

Looking up from the terminal, Gretchen saw Emily coming down the corridor.

"That's Dr. Wilson?" Mr. Wexford asked. "Are all the doctors here female and pregnant?"

It took all of Gretchen's self-control to keep from exploding. "That's Dr. Emily Wilson. She's a pediatrician." 'And a damn good one,' she muttered under her breath. "Dr. James Wilson is the head of Oncology. He's not female, and he's definitely not pregnant."

"Oh," was all Mrs. Wexford could say.

Just then Wilson got off the elevator. He said 'Hi' to his daughter-in-law as he passed her and came over to where Gretchen and the Wexfords were standing.

He held out his hand to each of them as he introduced himself. "I'm James Wilson." Next he turned to Gretchen. "How long have you been treating Matthew?"

She indicated the record on the monitor. "We started chemotherapy three weeks ago. The tumor has shrunk from four to one centimeter. I recommended two more treatments. Then we should be able to operate and safely remove it." The tumor was in a hard to reach area.

Wilson studied the file notes. "He's making great progress on your regimen," he told Gretchen.

"But he won't eat," Mr. Wexford complained. "He's always nauseous."

"Dr. Billings gave him Kaztec." He tapped the screen. "That's the best antinausea medication we have today."

"But there must be something else you can do. Don't tell us you won't do more than this inexperienced girl!"

"I can assure you that Dr. Billings is far from inexperienced," Wilson insisted.

"Neither of you can know how we feel!" Mrs. Wexford shouted.

"Mrs. Wexford, Dr. Billings has a son and knows exactly how a mother feels when her child is sick." He saw that wasn't enough. "I have a son too. He doesn't have cancer, but he has had Muscular Dystrophy since he was born. His mother, who is also a doctor, and I understood from the start how much treatment he would need all of his life, and that some of that treatment would have side affects that weren't pleasant. But they also weren't permanent. We learned to be patient because the benefits greatly outweighed the problems. And now he's an adult, married and about to become a father himself."

That seemed to shut them up, but he wasn't finished. "Dr. Billings is an excellent doctor. You can be sure she'll take the best care of your son."


	7. Chapters 13 and 14

Thanks for all the great comments and for reading this story. Here's some more.

**Chapter 13.**

"Hi Mom, how is everyone there?" Alex was surprised at how good he felt seeing his mother's face on the screen.

"Alex! We're all fine. How are you?" Cameron asked.

"Busy, but good. Um, I kinda volunteered you to talk to my Infectious Diseases class." Alex was almost certain she'd do it, but he waited nervously for her response.

"Me? Not your father?"

"We were talking about flu, and Professor McDougal brought up your seminal work on the Brazilian flu viruses," he explained.

"Oh!" She smiled. "Well, I'd be honored to do it." Then she started thinking about her other commitments. "When?"

"At your convenience, of course. He said you wouldn't have to come up here, just set up a video session."

"I wouldn't mind visiting my son," she said, chuckling. "Just not next week. I've got two critical patients, and Emily is due at the end of the week."

"Why don't you contact my professor and set it up," Alex suggested. He gave her the contact information.

"That'll work," she said. "And while I'm there, I'll have a chance to meet your roommate and your other friends."

"Sure," Alex said, but he wasn't sure he was ready for that.

"Of course, I won't be able to stay too long. Can you imagine what your father would say if I did?"

"Yes," he said with a smile and a rapid nod. "I have to go. I'm having dinner with one of those friends in a little while."

He saw his mother's eyebrows rise. "See you soon. Have a great dinner."

"Thanks. Bye, Mom."

Ryan had come in as the conversation ended and was transfixed by the image on Alex's laptop screen. "That's your mother? Wow!"

Alex laughed. He knew his mother was beautiful but rarely thought about it. "You should see my sister. And her friends. But don't get any ideas. They're ten years older than us. And married."

Ryan smiled. "But you said your mother was a doctor."

"So? So are my sister and her closest friends." Alex shrugged. "What does your mother do?" He'd suddenly realized he didn't know a whole lot about Ryan, certainly less than Ryan knew about him.

Ryan frowned. "She attends charity luncheons and goes shopping. Lately she's been volunteering at a homeless center. That's back in fashion with her circle of friends."

"Oh." Alex wondered how anyone could reply to that. He did know that Ryan came from a rich family, but he still assumed that his mother worked like all of his friends' mothers. "And your dad?"

"He's a stock broker in New York. I haven't seen him much lately. You were lucky to grow up with both of your parents."

"Yeah. But my sister didn't meet Dad until she was nine," Alex told him.

"She's your half-sister?" Now Ryan was confused.

"No. But Gretchen and Mom lived in Albany. Then when my sister was nine she got sick, met Dad, and the next thing you know, Mom and Gretch moved to New Jersey to be with him. I was born less than a year later." He realized that he had more questions for Ryan. "You and your brother and sister lived with your mother?"

Ryan nodded. "My parents divorced when I was eleven. Liam was eight and Meg was only six. We stayed in Boston with Mom. Her family lives there so we spent a lot of time growing up with our cousins, aunts and uncles, and our grandparents. It was all right. We got to spend some time with Dad, but not a lot, especially after he remarried."

"We didn't see our grandparents much at all," Alex said. "And our only aunt and uncle and cousins live in Chicago."

"I guess everyone has a different family situation," Ryan said.

"And we each make the most of what we have."

"So when are you picking up Shannon?" Ryan asked.

"What?" Alex looked at his watch. "Oh, no! I have to get ready!"

The jacuzzi had been better than either Justin or Audra had expected. The water stayed warm, and the jets were in just the right places. Audra sat in front of Justin between his legs, leaning her back against his chest while he soaped hers.

By the time they helped each other out of the tub, they both felt an odd mixture of relaxation and excitement. They dried each other with fluffy towels, then caressed each other's still-warm skin and shared a passionate kiss.

"We've got another hour," Justin murmured in Audra's ear.

"However shall we spend it?" she asked with a flirty smile.

"Oh, I think we can come up with something!"

**Chapter 14.**

Shannon looked good. Really good. Her dark hair was swept up instead of hanging loose as it usually did. She was wearing a dress that was cut low enough to show some cleavage, and short enough to display a lot of leg. She smiled when she saw the effect on Alex's face when she opened the door to him. His bright blue eyes blazed and his mouth hung open.

Finally he blinked and said, "Ready?"

"I just have to get a jacket. It'll probably be cooler when we get out of the movie."

The restaurant was close to campus. As they walked to it through the late summer evening, Alex consciously shortened his long stride so she could keep up. "The movie got very good reviews," he said, picking a safe topic to start.

"Adam McCormick always does a great job," she commented. "He's not just good to look at, but he's a terrific actor."

They reached Pelican's and entered. The place was busy, mainly with Yale students and faculty. Alex had made a reservation, so they were seated almost immediately.

"I hope you like seafood," he said, knowing he should have asked before.

"Love it!" she said, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

But sitting across the table from her, he had a hard time keeping his eyes off her beautiful face.

"So, both of your parents are doctors?" Shannon asked. "I can't imagine doing that! And medical school, all that work!"

"I guess you have to want to," Alex said with a shrug. "I don't think I ever seriously considered anything else. What do your parents do?" When he'd asked Ryan that earlier, he'd also realized that he didn't know much about Shannon's family, either.

"My dad's a commodities broker on the Chicago Board of Trade." Their waiter brought their drinks and took their orders.

"Ryan's dad is a stock broker in New York," Alex told her.

"Oh! I didn't know that."

"And your mother?" he wanted to know.

"My mom." The look on her face was unreadable. "She was an actress and singer on and off Broadway. She never made it big, and when she married my father, she moved to Chi-town. She's taught at the local community college, acting mostly, but I think she's living vicariously through me and my sister. Fin's a dancer, ballet mostly."

"One of my sister's friends became a ballet dancer," he said. "That's hard work too."

"What does your sister do?" she asked.

He grinned. "She's a doctor, of course."

"Oh!"

"So, you're from Chicago? My aunt, uncle and cousins live there. My grandparents did, too, but they're both gone now."

Their orders arrived, tuna grilled rare for Alex, and scallops for Shannon. As they ate, Alex thought about this young woman. Carla had been right. She was a lot smarter than she let on, and once in a while she'd use words or express ideas that gave away the brain hiding behind the big hazel eyes. Still, he wasn't sure whether he was ready for his mother to meet her.

Jack and his red-headed wife had taken Audra and Justin to a trendy restaurant in newly redeveloped East L.A. It seemed to be the kind of establishment that attracted hip and young big spenders. Jack had made a reservation because otherwise they'd probably have to wait three hours for a table.

Once they were seated, Jack smiled at Audra and said, "Justin tells me that you're an Oncologist." There were a trace of surprise in his voice.

"Yes," she said, and smiled at her husband.

"Oooh!, that sounds important!" Diane said.

"It means that I treat cancer patients," Audra explained.

"You mean like a nurse?" Diane asked.

"No, like a doctor," Justin corrected.

"Oh!" Even before that, Diane had decided that she was Audra's new best friend. She latched onto her and talked Audra's ear off about who she knew, where she went, and what she'd bought that day. "I bought a dress just like that one," she said, indicating the linen dress Audra had decided to wear again to dinner. "Only mine has orange sleeves and belt. I guess there are boutiques in New York just as au courant as Katrina's."

Audra had already heard from her that Katrina's was THE place to shop in L.A. "Actually, I bought this in Princeton at a shop owed by the aunt of one of my best friends," she confessed.

The men were still talking about the fuel cells until Jack's phone rang and he excused himself to take the call.

"So, do you two have any kids?" Diane asked.

Audra and Justin exchanged a smile. "Not yet," she replied.

"But we're trying," Justin added.

"Trying's good," Diane said with a smile. "We're trying too, only Jack's always so tired when he gets home, ya know?"

Their salads arrived just as Jack returned. "That was my partner, Phil," he told them. "He'll be back in L.A. tomorrow, and he wants to meet you, Justin."

Justin shook his head. "I was going to take Audra sightseeing before we fly up to San Francisco for my meeting with Page."

"I can take her!" Diane volunteered. "I know all the best sights in town. It'll be fun, just us girls!"

She seemed so excited by the idea that Audra couldn't say 'no'. "Sure, that'll be fine. And Justin can take me sightseeing in San Francisco."

He nodded, and they began to eat.


	8. Chapters 15 and 16

I'm glad you're all enjoying this story. Thanks for the great comments. Here are two more chapters. There'll be more on Monday.

**Chapter 15.**

Shannon and Alex were finishing their desserts (apple pie for him and fresh strawberries for her) when she looked past Alex toward the restaurant entrance and smiled. He turned around to see what had pleased her. Patrick and Carla had just entered and were talking to the hostess.

"We could ask them to join us," Shannon suggested.

"Except that we're almost done, and maybe they want to be alone," Alex objected.

"Oh! You're right of course." But she still waved to her cousin.

As it was, the other couple was being led to a table and as they passed, Pat said, "Hi guys. I didn't realized you'd be here tonight."

"Same here," Alex said, smiling at them both. "Have a good dinner. The tuna was excellent," he recommended.

"So were the scallops," Shannon said.

"Good to know," Carla said, as she and Pat hurried off to catch up with the hostess who was seating them.

"They make such a cute couple!" Shannon said.

Alex just smiled.

"Well, I'm stuffed," she said, putting her fork down and wiping her mouth with her cloth napkin.

"Shall we go then? The movie starts in about forty-five minutes."

Alex helped Shannon on with her jacket when they left the theater a few hours later. The film had been as good as they'd expected. Shannon's eyes sparkled as she talked about it afterwards. "I truly believed that Mr. McCormick's character had amnesia! He faked it. The character, I mean, but Adam's acting, the techniques he used, it was totally astonishing!"

"If you say so," Alex said with a chuckle. To him it was just an engrossing story about interesting characters.

"Good actors can accentuate certain facial expressions and downplay others to create a mood. Another thing that makes the characters more believable is if the actor is consistent. Of course, sometimes that's in the writing." She sighed with pleasure. "This was the kind of film that they should use for acting classes to teach how to do it right!"

Watching her made Alex smile. Her enthusiasm for her chosen profession convinced him that she really should be an actress, a serious one, not just a Hollywood or Broadway star. "What did you think of Kate Higgins performance?" he asked. The actress was almost as pretty as Shannon.

"She was good, much better than she was in the last movie I saw her in."

Alex listened to her, fascinated by what she was saying. He still wasn't sure that he wanted to introduce her to his parents, but he knew he was beginning to like her more and more. They'd reached her dorm.

"This was fun," Shannon said. "Thanks, Alex. I've enjoyed talking to you."

To Alex that sounded almost like a dismissal. "Do I hear a 'but' in there?" he asked, feigning a smile.

"Oh, no! Nothing like that. I just...I was afraid I'd bored you with all the talk about acting," she said.

"Not at all. I guess I still like to learn all I can about lots of different things."

She smiled at his response. He took that as encouragement and bent down to kiss her goodnight. "Goodnight, Shannon," he said softly.

"Night, Alex." She watched him walk off toward his dorm before going into her own.

"Judy says she'll come to the wedding but she won't be a bridesmaid," 'Becca said.

Marty, Nancy and Steven were having dinner with her and her parents at their house to discuss the wedding plans.

"It's been a long time since we've seen her," Dana Foreman said. Steven had liked her ever since she'd been his third grade teacher when he transferred to Live Oaks Elementary. 'Becca hadn't been in her mother's class, but they'd been in the same sixth grade class (with Evan Conway, of course), and known each other through junior high and high school.

"She's living in Minneapolis now, isn't she?" Nancy asked.

Steven had dated 'Becca's best friend in high school but then Judy had surprised them both by deciding to join a religious order. Steven and 'Becca were just starting college at Princeton, and they consoled each other. In time, they came to know each other much better.

Rebecca Foreman was much prettier and exotic looking than Judy. Steven had been afraid to approach her in high school. But once they were in college together, he realized that he'd probably been using Judy as a substitute for her friend, the girl he was really in love with.

"Then who will you ask to be your third bridesmaid?" Nancy asked.

"Why does she have to have three?" Foreman asked. They hadn't realized he'd even been paying attention to the conversation.

"Because Steven has three groomsmen," Dana told her husband.

Alex would be Steven's best man and 'Becca's brother Ricky, Steven's cousin Tommy, and Audra's husband would be the groomsmen. He would have had Joey as a fourth, but the uncertainty about whether he'd be there made that impractical.

Audra was 'Becca's matron of honor, and 'Becca had asked her cousin Jahzara, who was coming from Africa for the wedding, and her college roommate Jackie to be bridesmaids.

"What about Emily?" Steven asked.

'Becca nodded. "Good idea! Although I was thinking maybe Gretchen." She'd had that idea ever since the last time she saw Gretchen at the hospital. She knew neither would be insulted if she asked the other, but first she had to decide which one.

**Chapter 16. **

Cameron closed the picture phone connection and turned to House, who'd been sitting out of range. Still, he'd been avidly following her discussion with Professor McDougal.

"I'll only be gone ten or twelve hours," she said apologetically.

House shrugged. "I didn't say anything." He sounded defensive.

"No, but I could hear you thinking it."

"Lot you know. I was thinking 'better you than me'," he insisted.

She smirked. "I wouldn't expose those impressionable young minds to you."

"Oh, no? Some of 'em could probably benefit from the exposure. Besides, have I ever traumatized Gretchen or Alex, or any of their friends for that matter?"

"Not for lack of trying," she said with a chuckle. "But I'm still surprised that McDougal doesn't want you. After all, it's an infectious disease class."

House shrugged again. He was just as happy he wasn't asked.

"Anyway, after the class, I'll probably have lunch with Alex and then come home," Cameron went on.

"You want to check out his roommate, see if he's met a girl," House guessed.

"You know me too well!" she replied.

"You will tell me what you find out, right?" he asked and she laughed at his intense expression.

"You know I never keep anything from you." And she also knew he'd find out anyway.

When Tommy arrived home after a late meeting at the hospital, he found his wife sitting in the rocker in the baby's room, smiling as she looked around.

She was happy to see him walk through the door. "I still can't believe that she'll be here in about a week!" Emily exclaimed.

He walked to her as she stood and stretched both of his arms around her. "And I was just getting used to the soccer ball that has taken the place of your stomach."

"Well, I, for one, am ready to change fashion statements," she replied patting her 'Baby On Board' maternity top. Then she turned serious. "Oh, Tommy, so much has happened since we met, but this is the biggest thing yet for us!"

"Not so big." It was his turn to pat her round belly, not yet ready to get serious.

"What do you think she'll be like?" Em asked as they walked together to the kitchen.

"Pretty and petite like you, of course," Tommy replied promptly.

She smiled at him.

He kissed her forehead. "Smart as a whip, too."

"Like her dad," Emily said, grinning at him.

"Her mom's no slouch either!"

"I just hope we're ready for this."

"Being parents? I've seen you with A.G., and with your patients. You're more than ready. I'm not sure about myself."

"Oh, you'll be a great dad! You have had a few good role models." She laughed suddenly and grabbed his hand, placing it on her stomach to feel their daughter's reaction to the conversation. "I think she agrees."

"I think she's anxious to get here," Tommy said.

"Actually, I think she's ready for dinner. I know I am!"

Scott lifted A.G. out of the tub and Gretchen wrapped the little boy in a fluffy towel. Once his body was dry, and Scott had carried him to his bed, she helped him put on his pajamas. He was getting better at doing that himself, but still needed a little help. He was also getting used to his new 'big boy' bed.

"Do you want me to read you a bedtime story?" his father asked him.

He nodded vigorously, sprinkling them both with the droplets remaining on his hair. "Can you make funny faces like G'anpa?"

"Your Grandpa Greg makes very funny faces when he tells stories, doesn't he?" Scott asked.

A.G. nodded again and Scott and Gretchen got a new shower.

Gretchen rubbed his hair with the towel. "He uses funny voices, too. He used to do that for Alex when he was your size."

A.G. laughed. He couldn't really believe that his uncle was ever his size. "When is Uncle Alex coming home?" he asked.

"You know he's far away at school, right?" Gretchen asked and A.G. nodded. "He won't be coming home until Thanksgiving."

"When's that?"

"Oh, in about nine weeks."

"Is the baby coming then too?"

"The baby will be coming in six weeks."

"And six is less than nine," A.G. said with a smile.

His parents smiled too.


	9. Chapters 17 and 18

Let's see what's happening in California, what Justin and Audra are up to, and a surprise for both Audra and Diane.

I'm glad you're enjoying this story. I love the great comments I'm getting.

I'll try to post more on Wednesday. Wishing you all a happy holiday.

**Chapter 17.**

Justin woke Audra with a kiss. "Time to get up, beautiful."

She stretched, then placed her slim arms around him. "Just a few more minutes," she begged.

He smiled. "I guess last night's work out wore you out."

"Hmmm," she murmured, nibbling his ear. They snuggled another ten minutes, then he began to pull away.

"I have to meet Jack in less than an hour." He got up and walked to the bathroom.

"Should I order room service while you're showering?" she asked his retreating back.

"Good idea," he called back to her.

By the time he returned, dressed for the day in slacks and one of the knit button-down shirts that passed for business casual, their food had arrived. Audra, wrapped in a hotel robe, was pouring their coffee.

"When is Diane coming to pick you up?" Justin asked before biting into a piece of buttered toast.

"She said ten, but I wouldn't hold her to it."

He smiled. "We don't have to arrive for our shuttle to San Francisco until four thirty."

"I'll be sure to have her bring me back by three thirty," Audra promised. "That'll give me time to pack."

They finished their breakfast and kissed good-bye. After Justin left, Audra took her time getting ready. This time she chose a split skirt and matching top that Tori had recommended and she'd found especially comfortable. It suited her slim figure even better than the sundress. She was ready at ten, but Diane didn't show up until twenty minutes later.

"Justin was planning to take me to see the stars on Hollywood Boulevard, maybe do a studio tour," Audra told her. "We knew we didn't have time for Disneyland or Universal Studios."

"You didn't really want to go sightseeing, did you? Anyway, the best sight in the city is still Rodeo Drive," Diane said adamantly.

Audra smiled to herself. She'd bet Justin that Diane would want to take her shopping. She'd just won the right to buy whatever she wanted, not that Justin would ever object to anything she bought.

Diane drove them in her new Zip car. It was the smallest vehicle Audra had ever ridden in, but watching the traffic she saw how popular they were in L.A.

Rodeo Drive had grown over the years, branched out to the surrounding streets, as all the designers in the world wanted to open a shop there. Audra had seen some of the same designers' stores in New York, but never in such a concentrated space.

"I need some new shoes," Diane decided as they got out of the car in a parking garage just off Wiltshire. "How about you?" She looked pointedly at Audra's jute sandals with one and a half inch wedge heels.

"Sure," Audra said. "At least I can look."

Every famous shoe brand was represented, including Prada, Manolo Blahnik, Bally, and Jimmy Choo, as well as the new rage, Frankees, with their silvery laces and four inch chunky heels.

"I love those!" Diane said, as they entered the tiny story selling Frankees. Before they walked out again, she bought two pair, one in red and the other in purple. Audra tried on a pair, but found them uncomfortable.

Diane checked her watch as they continued down the street. "We've got a little more than a half hour before the fashion show at Monique's."

Audra stopped in her tracks. "Monique? The violinist and fashion designer?"

"There's only one," Diane said, almost surprised that Audra knew about her.

"Oh!" Audra was suddenly more exciting about their visit to Rodeo Drive. "Do you suppose that she'll be there?"

Diane shrugged. "I guess so. Why are you so eager to meet her?"

"Because she's an old friend," Audra said, but Diane seemed skeptical.

They spent twenty minutes browsing at Cartier's, but neither saw any jewelry that she had to have.

At noon, they entered the boutique with the name 'Monique' emblazoned on the windows. A woman at the door asked if they had tickets for the show and Diane produced the ones she'd gotten the night before after Audra agreed to go 'sightseeing' with her.

They were directed to a room with a stage and runway, and rows of chairs facing them. Before long, music with a pulsating rhythm began to play and the models made their way to the stage.

**Chapter 18.**

The models began their strut down the runway. Audra wondered who had ever decided that they should walk the way they did. No one ever walked like that on the street. It looked very awkward. Oh, it probably showed off the clothes well, and some might find it sexy. But she still thought it was strange.

The clothes they were modeling, on the other hand, were quite lovely. Lots of soft, flowing fabrics. Some of the clothes were asymmetric, but the dress that Audra liked the most was an eggplant-colored number, gathered at the shoulders with what looked like belt buckles, and falling freely to two or three inches above the knees of the long-legged brunette wearing it. Slim sleeves extended from the buckles to the wrists. After all, this was a winter collection, not that anyone in LA needed winter clothes. The dress was very attractive.

The fashion show ended, as many of them did, with a wedding dress. Audra almost burst out laughing when she saw it, but Diane was very impressed. The top looked like a snow white bustier with lace trim. The short skirt consisted of multiple layers. There were several in a stiff gauzy material. Audra thought they were called crinolines. And over all of the layers was a shorter one of white satin.

"I almost wish I were getting married again so I could wear something like that," Diane said.

Audra stifled a laugh, or maybe a groan. She could just imagine the short, slightly plump Diane in the dress.

As the fashion show ended, the striking brunette who'd been describing each outfit introduced the designer and Monique came out to thunderous applause, looking as elegant as ever.

"Thank you all for coming here today to see my winter collection. The models will be circulating among you while you enjoy our complimentary refreshments. Carol and Susan will be happy to take your orders." She indicated two young woman sitting at a table on one side of the room, ready with their hand-held electronic order forms. "I'm tremendously happy that you liked my designs. I'll be pleased to answer any questions you have about the clothes." She handed the mic back to the announcer, who also thanked everyone for attending.

"Most of these people are buyers for major department stores," Diane told Audra as they walked over to get some coffee.

Audra nodded. She knew that Monique's clothing line was sold at some of the high end department stores as well as small boutiques like Tori's. She watched Monique make her way among the women and some men, stopping to talk to some and to hug others. As she came close, Audra tried to catch her eye.

Monique did a double take. "Audra? What are you doing here?"

"Hi, Monique. I'm here with Justin. He's meeting with Diane's husband on business. This is Diane Fontana."

"Hello, Diane," Monique said. "Are you interested in fashion?"

Diane was still getting over the fact that Audra did indeed know Monique, so it took her a while to answer. "Oh, I LOVE your designs," she gushed. "That wedding dress especially."

Monique's eyebrows went up. She'd done that one mostly as a lark to shock the audience. She looked at Audra who shrugged. "What did you like, Audra?"

"The purple number," Audra replied without hesitation.

The model wearing it was standing nearby, and Monique called her over. "This one?" she asked and Audra nodded. "What are you, a size four?" Monique looked her up and down with a professional eye."

"Usually a six, because of my shoulders," Audra said.

"Taryn, take Mrs. Appleton backstage and let her try this on in a four. I think because of the shoulder treatment it'll fit," Monique told the model.

"Oh, Monique, you don't have to do that!" Audra protested.

"I'm just happy to have an opportunity to see someone from home. I haven't been able to attend anyone's weddings with my schedule and I haven't seen you in ages!" She suddenly had an idea. "Do you two have lunch plans? You have to have lunch with me! Go!" she told Audra and Taryn.

Once Audra was gone, Diane asked, "Do you know Audra well?"

"We went to school together, all the way through high school. Oh, we weren't best friends, we each had our own group we hung with, but she was always one of my favorite people. I just hope we won't bore you catching up."


	10. Chapters 19 and 20

Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas day with family and friends.

Thanks for reading my story and for leaving such great comments.

**Chapter 19.**

Audra returned wearing the dress she'd admired. It looked like it was designed just for her, but Monique still felt the need to make minor adjustments to the shoulder buckles.

"That looks fabulous!" Diane exclaimed.

"How much is it?" Audra asked Monique. She could afford it, whatever it cost, but she still hadn't gotten used to the idea.

Monique was tempted to just give the dress to her. However, she suspected that Audra would be offended. "I'll give it to you at the wholesale price. Two fifty."

Taryn's eyebrows went up. That was well below the wholesale price, but she wasn't going to contradict the boss.

"Just do me a favor and let me know when and where you wear it, OK?" Monique requested.

"Sure," Audra said with a smile. She loved the dress and had a feeling she'd wear it often.

"Now go change back into that cute outfit you were wearing and let Taryn wrap that up for you. I'm famished!" Monique commanded.

A very happy Audra complied, and Monique turned her attention to Diane. "Now, I know you don't need a wedding dress," she said with a smile. "But which other outfit did you like?"

"Well..." Diane didn't know what to say as she looked at the models circulating through the room. Besides anything else, she wasn't sure she could afford any of the dresses, even at wholesale.

Monique's eyes appraised her shape. "I know which one will look terrific on you." She saw the dress on a model not far away. "Cara, can you find the dress you're wearing in Diane's size?"

Cara, a woman of average height with more curves than the others, smiled brilliantly and said, "Sure!" She was wearing one of the asymmetric dresses. It wrapped around her and had an uneven hem. The pale blue color went well with her auburn hair but would look even better on Diane.

"Oh, I'm not sure I can buy that!" Diane admitted.

"Well, we'll see after you try it on. But hurry. I'm getting hungrier by the minute."

A little while after Diane left, Audra returned with her new dress in a garment bag. "Where's Diane?"

Monique's eyes twinkled. "Here she is," she indicated with her chin.

Diane was back, looking very different. She was smiling broadly. "I love it!" she said.

Audra had to agree that the dress did wonders for her. "You look great!"

"We'll work out payment over lunch," Monique told Diane.

Monique was finally able to lead two very happy customers down the palm tree-lined street to the nearby Beverly Hilton. The lobby of the hotel was impressive. Redesigned five years before, it featured an atrium, all glass and plants and waterfalls, an indoor tropical paradise complete with parrots and tame monkeys in the trees but without the dangers of insects, snakes and wild animals.

The restaurant was very modern. Glass pedestal tables were surrounded by chairs hanging from rails that criss-crossed half-way to the very high ceiling.

They were led to a table and handed menus. They ordered drinks and salads and sat back to talk.

"So you became a doctor, huh?" Monique asked Audra. She shook her head. "Nobody would have predicted that when our fourth grade class visited PPTH." She chuckled. "That day alone should have dissuaded you."

Audra had thought about that day often. Among other things it was the first time she'd met Marty Wilson, months before he and Nancy had taken her in and years before they adopted her.

She nodded. "At the time I hated hospitals. Now much of my world revolves around the place."

"You and the Three Amigos, too," Monique said with a smile. "How are they?"

"Emily will be having her first child in less than a week, a girl," Audra replied.

"I bet she and Tommy are excited! And Gretchen?"

"She's due with her second a month later. Her little boy is so cute! And smart."

"Those House genes," Monique remarked.

Diane was having a hard time following the conversation, but that last one did it. What were 'house jeans', she wondered, and what did they have to do with someone's little boy?

"And, of course, Nelson is their Ob/Gyn," Audra went on, oblivious to Diane's confusion.

"We almost made it to Nelson and Elizabeth's wedding," Monique said wistfully. "I was supposed to play at a benefit concert in New York the Thursday before, but it was canceled and then Randy got sick. I haven't been back in years."

"Not even to see your family?" Audra was surprised.

Monique sighed. "Once they found out about me and Randy, they refused to speak to me."

"Oh! How is she?" Audra had known Randy even less than Monique. Gretchen was the one who'd played softball with them both.

"Great." Monique was smiling again. "She's an assistant coach at USC. Would you and Justin be able to come to dinner tonight?" she asked hopefully.

"Oh, I wish we could, but we're flying up to San Francisco later this afternoon."

"Oh." Monique was disappointed.

Suddenly Audra realized they'd been leaving Diane out of their conversation, so she tried to change the subject from friends back in N.J. "Do you get to New York often for concerts?" she asked Monique.

"No. I did play in a quartet with Nelson's father there a year or so ago."

"It must be hard juggling two careers," Audra said.

"I guess I love them both so I don't mind all the work," Monique replied.

"I really enjoyed seeing your new designs, thanks to Diane here." Audra smiled at Diane.

"I'll make sure to send you tickets to my Spring show," Monique told Diane, taking a cue from Audra.

Their food arrived and as they ate they talked about more general topics, making sure to include Diane. But Audra would be thinking about what Monique told her for some time to come.

**Chapter 20**.

"Thanks for lunch, Monique," Audra said. "And for the great dress." They'd finished eating and were standing outside the hotel, saying their good-byes.

"Well, keep in touch, and let me know the next time you're in L.A.," Monique replied, hugging her.

"It was a pleasure to meet you," Diane told Monique. "I just love my dress." Monique had charged her two hundred dollars for it. Diane suspected it was well below the wholesale price but was an amount she could afford, that is, an amount Jack would let her spend, so it worked. In a way, she was glad he limited her spending because she had a tendency to get carried away.

Monique walked off in the direction of her boutique, and Audra and Diane continued on. Even if they didn't buy anything more, there was no harm or cost to window shopping.

"I'm so full of questions, I don't know where to start," Diane said after a couple of minutes of companionable silence.

Audra looked at her questioningly.

"OK, first of all," Diane began, "Monique is gay?"

Audra smiled as she said, "Technically, she's a Lesbian, but, yeah."

"No wonder her parents aren't talking to her. I mean, I don't have a problem with it, but I bet my parents would."

"It's a shame, too," Audra said. "Because they're losing out on sharing their daughter's many successes. It amazes me what parents will and won't accept about their kids." She was actually thinking about her grandfather who'd surprised her more than once. "My grandfather for example."

She knew she had to give Diane some background so that she'd understand. She told her about her mother's death and her grandmother's illness. "I was astonished when Grandfather agreed with Grandmother's wish that he give Nancy Lloyd custody of me. It wasn't just Nancy, she was already dating Marty Wilson, and Marty was Jewish and a recovering alcoholic. By the time of the custody hearing, they were living together but not married. Still, Grandfather didn't object."

She had Diane's rapt attention. "What happened? I mean with Nancy and Marty?"

"They got married, and a few years later they adopted me," Audra said with a big smile. "It was the best thing that ever happened to me. Well, that and meeting Justin."

"Oh!" Diane took a minute or two to digest that, but she still had most of her initial questions. "OK, what or who is PPTH, and the three amigos?"

Audra shook her head but she was still smiling. The first part was simple. "PPTH is Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital where I work, and where the three amigos, my parents and theirs all work. The three amigos." She wondered how much she should tell her. "They're some of my best friends. Gretchen Billings, and Emily and Tommy Wilson. Gretchen's father started calling them that twenty years ago when Gretch and Em first came to Princeton."

"Wilson? Any relation to your adoptive dad?"

"Tommy is Dad's nephew, and he and Em got married a couple of years ago."

"Oh, yeah. You told Monique that she was having her first child. But she also said something about 'house jeans' when you were talking about Gretchen's little boy? What did that mean?"

Audra laughed good-naturedly. "Gretchen's dad, Gregory House, is a brilliant doctor. Both Gretch and her brother Alex have that same unusual kind of intelligence. It's genetic, and A.G., Gretchen's son, has it too."

"Oh, 'genes', not 'jeans'." Now Diane was laughing, too.

As they continued on, Audra glanced at her watch. "Oh, it's almost three! I told Justin I'd be back at the hotel room by three thirty."

"No problem," Diane said. They headed back to the garage where the car was parked. They put their purchases in the trunk and got in, but when Diane pressed the starter, nothing happened. "Bummer!"

she exclaimed. "OK, promise you won't tell Jack I did this."

"Did what?" Audra asked as Diane popped the hood and got out of the car. First she went to the trunk and searched behind their packages for something, emerging a minute later waving a nylon windbreaker at Audra, who'd come around to see if she could help. "It wouldn't do to mess up my outfit," Diane indicated the pink shirt and skirt she was wearing. Once the jacket was zipped on, she opened the hood.

Audra watched as Diane checked the indicators on the fuel cells that powered the car, then the leads attached to them.

"Got it!" she exclaimed. "Do you have a nail file?"

Audra found one in her hip purse and handed it to Diane, curious about what she was going to do with it.

Diane disconnected one of the wire leads and ran the file over it. "These things still rust or foul or something," she said. She reconnected the lead to the cell, then got back in and pressed the starter again. The engine started.

Diane got out and quickly peeled off the jacket, stowing it back in the trunk. She closed the hood and the two women got back in the car.

It was now Audra's turn to ask questions. "You fix cars?"

"Used to," Diane replied. "But Jack thinks being the receptionist at his company is more ladylike." She shrugged. "I just never tell him when I have to do something like that." She drove out of the garage.

They pulled up in front of the hotel at 3:28. Diane had driven much faster and much more expertly than she had earlier in the day.

"Don't tell me. You're a race car driver too," Audra joked.

"Nah," Diane said. "But my dad and brothers are."

Audra was laughing as she retrieved her dress from the trunk, then came around to hug Diane through the open car window. "Thanks for a great day!" she said.

"Thank YOU!" Diane insisted. "I had more fun than I've had in years."

"Are you on Jabber? I'd really like to keep in touch." They exchanged addresses, and finally said 'good-bye'.**  
**


	11. Chapters 21 and 22

Here are two more chapters to end the week. Hope you enjoy them.

**Chapter 21.**

Steven and 'Becca were meeting her brother and his latest girlfriend for dinner, but first they had a stop to make. Steven's mother, Helen, was living at a limited care facility. She'd never become completely stable. Although she could usually take care of herself, she needed some supervision and someone to make sure she ate regularly.

"Steven!" she exclaimed when she saw him at her door. She completely ignored the lovely young woman standing next to him, but then she'd done that since Steven first brought 'Becca to meet her a few years earlier.

"We just wanted to say hello," Steven said.

"We brought you tulips," 'Becca added, but Helen didn't take the bouquet, even though those were her favorite flowers.

"I'll get a vase for them," Steven offered.

The apartment was cheerier than the place they'd lived in before Steven went to live with his father. Windows looked out over a garden that was full of flowers in spring and summer, and even attractive now in fall.

"I hope you've been feeling well," 'Becca said. She never gave up trying to reach Helen.

But instead of replying, Helen called into the kitchen, "Steven, when is your father going to visit me?"

In Helen's world there were only two other people, her son and his father.

Steven returned with a vase filled with the flowers. "I don't know when Dad can come again. Wasn't he just here yesterday?"

"It seems so long ago." Suddenly she smiled. "You'll stay to eat, won't you?"

"Not tonight. 'Becca and I are meeting some people for dinner."

As quickly as her smile came, it went. Steven felt so bad for her, but he knew that, even if he'd stayed, she'd forget why. And she still wouldn't acknowledge his fiancée.

"We'll visit again soon, OK?" Steven said.

"Don't bother!" she shouted bitterly, and turned her head away.

Steven walked over and put a hand on her shoulder. "Goodbye, Mother." He kissed her sunken cheek and they left.

##

Alex sat in the half-empty dining hall, eating pizza and reading the latest hematology assignment that he'd downloaded on his reader.

"No date with Shannon tonight?" Pat asked, placing his tray on the table and sitting down next to Alex.

"She's having dinner with Ryan," he answered, eying the fries on Pat's plate. "What about you and Carla?"

"We're going to a jazz club later, but I got hungry."

"So you had a good date last night?" Alex asked, his long fingers inching closer to filch a fry.

Pat ignored the attempted food theft and replied, "Very good. I think I'm in love."

Alex snorted. Pat fell in love with a different girl every month or two back in high school.

"No! This is different. There's a definite spark between us, nothing like any of those girls back in New Jersey," Pat insisted.

"A spark, huh?"

Pat just smiled. "Yeah. How 'bout you and Shannon? Are you OK with her dating Ryan too?"

Alex shrugged. "We had a good time last night. She's more interesting and a lot smarter than I thought at first."

"But?"

"But...there isn't that spark you mentioned. I don't know why," he mused.

##

"You really don't mind taking him for the night?" Gretchen asked her mother, handing over a small plastic crate of toys, books, and training pants and pajamas.

"You know we love to spend time with A.G.," Cameron insisted.

"Oh, I know you do, but what about Dad?"

Cameron smirked. "Your father is crazy about that little boy, maybe even more than he was about Alex at that age." To prove the point, she indicated House, who was showing A.G. another way to tie his shoes, sneakers that were a miniature version of House's own.

Gretchen smiled and her mother told her, "Go on, have a great time. Before long you and Scott won't be able to get out so easily."

"OK. We'll pick him up in the morning."

"Not too early," Cameron told her. "Maybe we'll take him to Ttingels for pancakes."

Gretchen left, and Cameron joined House and A.G. on the couch.

"Look, G'amma!" A.G. demonstrated his newly learned skill with his laces.

"Wow! That's amazing!" she exclaimed to his delight.

"Now, if I can only get him to say 'r'," House said, working his lips. "A.G., say 'Gramma'," he instructed.

"I just did! G'amma."

"Grrrr," House said and the little boy laughed.

"You sound like a tigah."

"A tiger?"

A.G. nodded.

"OK, why don't YOU try to sound like a tiger?" House asked.

"Guh," A.G. said.

"Try again," his grandfather encouraged him.

He concentrated hard and said, "Gur."

"Much better."

"Gurur. Gurur,"

"OK, now say that and 'amma'"

A.G. wrinkled his forehead. "Guramma," he said.

"I think he's got it!" House told Cameron in a cheesy British accent.

She laughed. "He's definitely got it!" She hugged her grandson. "And as a reward, how about pizza for dinner?"

Both House and A.G.'s eyes lit up, and she went to order some.

**Chapter 22.**

Twenty minutes later, House, Cameron and their grandson sat down to their pizza. But when Cameron started to cut up A.G.'s slice into bite-sized pieces, the little boy objected. "I wanna eat it like G'anpa." He saw House's frown and amended, "Like Guranpa."

So she cut his adult-sized slice in half and put the two pieces on the little boy's plate. He needed both hands to pick it up. He fumbled a bit, but was able to fold it like his grandfather and turn the pointed end toward his mouth. He took a bite. "Hot!"

"Pizza isn't pizza if it doesn't burn the roof of your mouth," House said, although he also liked cold leftover pizza.

A.G. frowned in thought.

"Your mouth will heal," House assured him.

"OK." A.G. continued eating with an occasional exclamation of "Yum!" and sips of milk from his toddler cup.

"So, what do you want to do after we eat?" House asked him.

"Can we play the new game?"

"A boy after my own heart."

"All done!" A.G. announced when he couldn't eat anymore, and Cameron cleaned the excess sauce and drippy cheese from his face. She took him to wash his hands before he played the game with his grandfather.

Then Cameron settled down to read an e-book, while her husband and grandson played the computer game. Their laughter provided great background noise for the story she was reading, a tale about a young woman who fell in love with her older boss. She became engrossed in the story.

A while later she noticed that the laughter had stopped, so she glanced over to where they'd been sitting side by side on the couch. But now, Greg's eyes were closed and his mouth slightly open. He was snoring softly. And A.G. was asleep on his grandfather's lap.

Cameron smiled. She reached for the camera she always kept handy when A.G. visited. She wanted to capture this moment for posterity.

##

Ricky and his date were waiting for them when Steven and Becca arrived at Smitty's, a popular cafe favored by the Princeton college crowd.

"Sorry we're late," Becca apologized.

"We stopped to see my mother," Steven explained.

"No prob. We just arrived ourselves," Ricky told him. "How's she doing?"

Steven shook his head. "The same. She lives in her own little world."

The hostess indicated that their table was ready. As they followed her, Ricky made the introductions. "Becca and Steven, this is Janelle. Jan, this is my sister Rebecca and her fiancé Steven."

They all said 'Hi' as they sat down. Becca knew that her brother's latest girlfriend was a school teacher like their mother. Ricky had been introduced to her by Sherry Chambers. Becca had always wondered why Ricky and Sherry had never dated, but instead remained close friends.

Janelle was as beautiful as her brother's previous girlfriends, with mocha skin just a shade darker than theirs. She was also just as voluptuous and wore a low cut sweater and narrow skirt to emphasize her curves. Becca just hoped that she was less boring than Andrea, less self-absorbed than Coral, less hyper than Maddie, and less irritating than Daphne. She hadn't liked any of Ricky's previous girlfriends.

Ricky resumed his conversation with Steven. "Will your mother come to the wedding?"

"We've invited her, of course, but I don't really know," Steven replied. "My dad is working on getting her to attend."

"Oh, when are you two getting married?" Janelle asked.

Becca wasn't sure whether she was fishing for an invitation, curious, or just polite. She also wondered why she was so suspicious of the woman. "Thanksgiving weekend. Our friends will be home visiting their families so it'll work out well for them and for us."

"You must be very excited!"

"There are times I can't believe it's really happening!" Becca exclaimed.

"Did you ever pick another bridesmaid?" Ricky asked.

His sister shook her head. "Gretchen said it was too soon after her delivery date, and Emily had pretty much the same excuse."

"Bec, they really wanted to do it," Steven told her.

"I know. I guess I'm just disappointed."

"Are they friends of yours?" Janelle asked.

"Gretchen is my best friend's older sister," Steven said.

"And Emily's her oldest friend," Ricky said.

"Em's married to Steven's cousin Tommy," Becca added.

"And Gretchen, Emily and Tommy are my sister's best friends," Steven concluded.

Seeing Janelle's puzzled look, Ricky told her, "I think I'll have to draw you a diagram." Steven and 'Becca laughed, but Janelle still looked puzzled.


	12. Chapters 23 and 24

It's Monday, time for two more chapters full of all sorts of storylines.

I wish all my readers the best New Year ever.

**Chapter 23.**

Throughout the evening, Steven had been wondering about Becca's attitude toward Janelle, but he didn't begin to talk about it until he was taking her home and they were alone.

"Janelle seemed very friendly, didn't she?" he asked.

Becca studied him. "Do you think I acted too suspicious of her?"

"You tend to be very protective of Ricky."

"He hasn't had the best track record for picking girlfriends," Becca explained.

"That's his problem," Steven reminded her. "He's a big boy."

"I know. But...I guess I want him to have a relationship as good as ours, and that will take the right woman."

It was Steven's turn to study Becca. "You think you know better than Ricky who that should be."

"No!" she exclaimed. "Well, maybe," she amended. "Janelle is probably a very nice person, and I should let him decide if she's the one, shouldn't I?"

"That's what I'd do."

Becca thought a minute. "Why didn't anyone ever complain when Gretchen played matchmaker?"

Steven knew how much his fiancée idolized Gretchen House. "She usually helped people who didn't have anyone already to find the right someone. But your brother is dating Janelle."

"That's just a technical difference," Becca said, but she could see Steven disagreed with her. She didn't want to fight with him, so she dropped it. "Anyway, tonight helped me decide who to ask to be my third bridesmaid," she said.

"Really?"

She nodded. "I'm going to ask Sherry Chambers."

Steven shook his head and smirked at her, realizing she hadn't changed the topic at all.

###

Becca's idol was eating for two at an Italian restaurant in Princeton. She and Scott were having dinner with Scott's old friend Neil and Neil's wife Judy. Neil and Judy had met when they were hired at the same time by one of the larger law firms in the city.

The two couples chatted about their lives and work as they ate. About the time Neil had invested in Games and Grub, Judy and two of their female colleagues had started their own small legal firm, primarily to focus on cases of battered women and abused children.

"It still amazes me what one human being can do to another," Judy told them. She was obviously a very dedicated advocate for her clients.

At one point during the meal, Scott related a story about A.G.'s first time at G & G, and Gretchen caught a strange look on Judy's face. When Gretchen excused herself for one of her frequent trips to the ladies room, Judy joined her. Of course, their husbands rolled their eyes, muttering something about women not being able to go to a rest room alone.

Judy was washing her hands at the row of sinks when Gretchen emerged from one of the stalls. "I envy you," Judy said.

"What, peeing every twenty minutes?" Gretchen asked.

"Being pregnant enough that you have to," Judy said. "We tried to get pregnant for a while, but then Neil immersed himself in managing G & G, and our practice grew so quickly that I had to spend twelve-hour days in the office."

"Have you told Neil that you still want a child?" Gretchen asked.

"I don't want him to feel like I'm accusing him," Judy explained. "Gretchen, how do you balance being a doctor and a mother? You make it seem so easy!"

"I had a good role model in my mother, and she knows how hard it is, so she helps when she can. I guess you just do the best you can and make sure your child knows that he's loved." She chuckled. "It helps that A.G. is such a joy, of course. I hope his brother will be too." She patted her bulge. "You hear that Horace?" she asked the baby inside.

"Horace? Are you really planning on naming him that?" Judy asked. She tried not to look horrified. You never knew other people's preferences.

Gretchen laughed. "No, but we haven't decided yet and my dad thought it was a perfectly good name."

Judy shook her head. "Your father has always been strange."

###

Ryan took a deep breath before knocking on Shannon's dorm room door. He thought he'd be able to mask his nervousness, and then she opened the door and he stopped breathing. She looked more beautiful than ever, with her long hair pulled up on top of her head, and wearing a scoop-necked dress showing the creamy smooth skin of her upper chest.

She was just as disconcerted. She'd only seen Ryan in jeans and T-shirts before, but in dark slacks, a collarless light gray dress shirt, and a dark gray jacket, he was more striking than ever.

Ryan finally found his voice. "Ready?" When she nodded he asked, "Have you ever been to Antonio's before?" He hadn't been there, himself, but had heard it was one of the best restaurants in the area and he wanted to impress her. And he was more convinced than ever that Shannon was worth whatever it cost.

"Only when my grandmother paid," she replied. "I love their food."

He helped her on with her sweater and they headed out. They took a taxi to Antonio's. Ryan had made a reservation for seven o'clock, and they didn't have to wait long until they were led to their candlelit table for two.

"Would you like some wine?" Ryan asked.

"Maybe one glass. White. The house wine will be fine." She knew that some of the wines they had were very expensive.

He ordered them each a glass, and they read the menus. Everything sounded wonderful, but Shannon knew what she wanted from previous visits. She was glad the blackened chicken with Bearnaise sauce was one of the less expensive items. She didn't know how much Ryan could afford.

Ryan didn't know whether she was just being thoughtful or really wanted the dish until she gushed, "The last time I had it here, it was the best blackened chicken I'd ever had."

Their date had started off well, and only got better as the evening wore on.

**Chapter 24.**

Sunday morning when Ryan woke up, he wondered what he'd say to Alex about Shannon. His roommate was already in the bathroom. It sounded like he was showering. And singing. Ryan smiled. Alex sang the strangest variety of songs, ranging from really old rock and roll to obscure ditties that might have been popular at some time, although Ryan had never heard them before, to the latest hits.

The water stopped, and the singing, too, and Alex came out of the bathroom, his tall, lanky body wrapped in an oversize towel. "Morning!" he said.

"You sound chipper today."

Alex rubbed his wet hair with a smaller towel and said, "It's Sunday and I've got a whole day free!"

"We can shoot some hoops at the gym, or go to a movie," Ryan suggested.

"I took Shannon to the movies on Friday. We saw the Adam McCormick film," Alex replied. "How'd it go with her last night?" he asked, as if he'd just remembered that Ryan had taken her to dinner.

"I was afraid you'd ask that."

Alex narrowed his eyes. "I thought you two would have a great time together."

"Oh, we did. It's just..." Ryan didn't know how to say it. "Alex, I really like her. Really, really like her. But if it's going to mean a problem between us..." He let it hang.

Alex smirked. "I like her too, but only as a friend. A beautiful and interesting friend. Of course, I have no idea what she thinks."

"Yes, very true." Ryan sighed.

"Hey, buddy, if there's any way I can help you with her, let me know, OK?"

"Thanks, Alex," Ryan said with a grin. "So how about the gym?"

"You're on!" Alex agreed.

###

It was a Sunday morning, and neither of them had to go into the hospital. House studied his sleeping wife. He honestly thought she was even more beautiful than when he first met her. Time had brought wisdom and maturity, and that wisdom and maturity had given her an elegance, a serenity that gave even more substance to her pretty features. In her early sixties she was as sexy as ever, too. He couldn't complain.

"Morning," she murmured, opening her eyes to his admiring gaze.

He kissed her sweet lips, hands reaching for his favorite places to stroke the soft, taut skin, eliciting a purring sound, and the answering ministrations of her two smaller hands. They were both so lost in their foreplay that they neither saw nor heard the door to their bedroom open.

"G'amma, G'anpa, when will we go to the pancake place?" a small voice broke through to them, too excited to remember his elocution lesson of the night before.

House grimaced and lay back in bed, pulling the covers further up over their naked bodies.

"We'll go in a little while, when we're all dressed," Cameron told A.G. "Why don't you get out your clothing and I'll come help you get dressed in a little while."

"OK." The toddler bounced out of their room as quickly as he'd appeared.

"I don't suppose we have time to finish what we started," House asked.

"'Fraid not. Guess it's the price we pay for having a grandchild staying with us." Cameron got up and dressed quickly while House just watched. She went to Gretchen's old room and found A.G. trying to tie his sneakers, using the technique his grandfather taught him. The fact that he was still in his pajamas and didn't have socks on hadn't deterred him. With his grandmother's help, he was soon dressed and ready to go.

They found House, similarly dressed, in the kitchen feeding the dog. "I let her out in the back for a short time," he told them. Knowing that Sadie was taken care of, including a good-morning pat from A.G., they headed for Ttingels for breakfast.

It was a warm morning so they could sit outside, but A.G. insisted on going inside with his grandmother to see the parrots and order their pancakes. The birds repertoire was ever-changing but still amusing, especially to the little boy.

"An apple dumpling a day will keep the doctor away."

"Muffins are us."

"Voulez-vous manger our French toast?"

and the ever popular "Have a tasty day."

When Cameron and A.G. finally returned to the table where House was waiting for them, they found him talking to a redheaded woman, accompanied by a dog that looked just like Sadie.

"Hi, Daisy," Cameron greeted her. "Have you ever met our grandson, A.G.?"

"Oh, my gosh! Gretchen's son? Hi, A.G. I've known your mom and your grandparents for a long time."

A.G. checked to see whether it was OK to talk to this stranger, but his grandparents were both smiling. "What's the dog's name?" he asked.

"This is George The Third," she said.

A.G.'s forehead and nose wrinkled.

"Daisy had a Basset named George when we met her. That's why we got Junior," Cameron told him. "He was really George Junior or George The Second."

"Do you know Sadie?" A.G. asked Daisy.

"Of course I do. George The Third is her brother."

A.G. grinned. He liked the idea that dogs had brothers too. His parents had told him that he would have a brother soon.

The waitress brought their breakfasts, and Daisy went to get her own. Cameron cut up her grandson's pancake, dousing it with butter and syrup, and A.G. dug in with as much gusto as his grandfather.


	13. Chapters 25 and 26

I thought I posted this on Wednesday. I had it all ready, but never posted.

We'll check in on Audra and Justin in California.

Thanks for reading. I'm enjoying the comments on this story.

**Chapter 25.**

Audra and Justin were staying at the rebuilt St. Francis Hotel on Union Square in San Francisco. After the 2020 quake, there'd been minor damage to the venerable hotel, and it was decided that it was time to raze and rebuild it with much more modern mechanicals and amenities, but the same elegance and luxury.

Their room had the latest electronics for communication, lighting, and controls. The bathroom was a wonder of up-to-the-minute facilities, including an ultramodern shower and a jetted tub, both with built-in dispensers for toiletries.

The in-room computer allowed the occupants to access their own files and accounts with confidence in the security of their information, besides controlling the TV, communications systems, even the room-darkening shades.

"So where do you want to go today?" Justin asked. He'd felt guilty about not taking her sightseeing the day before. He placed his hands lightly around his wife's willowy neck.

"Oh, there's so much to do in San Francisco!" Audra exclaimed. "I've always wanted to come here, see Chinatown, the Golden Gate Bridge, Fisherman's Wharf, the shopping piers."

"Didn't you get enough shopping with Diane yesterday?" he asked.

She chuckled. "This is different. I want to buy souvenirs to bring back for everyone. But I guess I can do that tomorrow while you're meeting with Henry Page."

"OK. Why don't we take a cable car to Fisherman's Wharf, have lunch there, and come back by way of Chinatown?" Justin suggested.

"Sounds perfect. But first I'd love to try out that shower."

"Mind some company?" he asked.

"Never if it's you!"

They helped each other out of their sleep clothes, and entered the large glass-enclosed shower together. It had both downward and sideward spraying nozzles. They used the shower gel and shampoo dispensers, lathering each other extravagantly, then took turns rinsing off.

A curtain of warm air dried them as they exited the shower, but they still enjoyed toweling each other. By then, they were both quite hungry. In the kitchenette of the suite, they selected their breakfasts from a touch screen. The food was delivered through a pneumatic chute in under ten minutes, the eggs, bacon, toast and coffee hot, and the juice and fruit cold.

They finished eating and dressed for the cool but sunny weather, then took the elevator down to the lobby. There was a cable car stop near the hotel. The cable cars in San Francisco looked the same as they had for over one hundred and sixty years. The bells clanged before each intersection, and the three routes in the city were the same as ever. Only the cable controls had changed over the years.

They took the Powell-Mason line to Fisherman's Wharf, passing over Nob Hill, and ending at a turntable at Bay Street. They got off and watched the mechanism that revolved the car to head back the way they'd come.

Then they crossed the street and walked along the shoreline to Pier 39. Audra would return on Monday to shop, but they stopped to watch a gazillion sea lions barking and chilling on their platforms just off the pier. Looking out they could see the busy harbor, and in the distance the Golden Gate Bridge.

As they started to walk away, they saw a sign. "Oh! We should take one of the ferries!" Audra said. "Either a Bay Cruise or the Alcatraz Tour."

Justin nodded. "We'll decide which one after lunch. Maybe we'll eat at Alioto's."

But when they reached the restaurant, they opted instead for the curbside crab stand, feasting on Dungeness crab. And for dessert, they continued on to Ghiradelli Square for ice cream. Audra bought some chocolate, too, to bring back for all the chocoholics among their friends and families.

They spent some time at the Maritime Museum before walking back to take the ferry. They'd decided on the Alcatraz Tour.

The ride across the bay was quick and gave them another view of the city, the bridges, and the bay. The island was home to rare flowers and plants, marine wildlife, and roosting and nesting sea birds. They wandered among the visible reminders of the American Indian Occupation that started in 1969 after the prison closed, and of the remaining prison buildings, some of which had been restored in 2022 after the quake.

"This was so much fun!" Audra said, as they took the ferry back.

"The days not over!" Justin promised.

**Chapter 26.**

Audra and Justin took another cable car back towards their hotel, but got off near Chinatown. They wandered through streets with signs in English and Chinese, or sometimes just Chinese. They strolled down the main tourist streets, like Grant Avenue with it's mix of Edwardian fundamentals and Chinese details, and less touristy Waverly Place, that also contained some interesting architecture.

They looked in several souvenir shops and art galleries. "You're brother might like this," Justin said, indicating a book on Chinese brush painting that came with brushes and paper.

Audra had been wondering what they should bring Steven. "Perfect!"

They also found the Wok Shop with a large selection of cleavers, woks, and chopsticks. "No way we can bring back a cleaver or a wok for Mom and Dad," Audra said, but the saleswoman told them they could mail their purchases.

They stopped to read the menus of a few restaurants, and finally picked one based on the number of people, especially Asians, eating inside.

The food sounded like some of the Chinese food they were accustomed to, but when their orders came, they didn't look or taste the same. The vegetables were different, which wasn't that surprising, but so were the spices. Still they enjoyed their pot stickers. Justin's Mongolian beef was served on a bed of rice sticks, rather than steamed rice. Audra's stir-fried chicken and vegetables was particularly delicious, and chock full of shiitake and crimini mushrooms. They made a note of the restaurant name, Dragon Well, so that they could recommend it to everyone else.

After dinner, they strolled the rest of the way back to their hotel. "This has been a terrific day!" Audra said. "Thank you for bringing me with you to California!"

"I had my own selfish motives," he replied. "I hate being away from you when I have to travel for business." They got on the elevator.

"And I hate it when you're away!" she said.

"But? I know there's a 'but'," Justin prompted.

"I'm starting to miss everyone back in New Jersey," Audra admitted.

He put an arm around her. "We'll be going home on Tuesday," he said.

"I know." She smiled up at him. "And, as long as I'm with you most of the time, I think I can make it another day and a half."

They reached their floor and walked to their room. "How about we soak our tired legs in the tub?" Justin suggested with a hint of a leer as he slid the keycard in the door.

Audra brightened up even more. She wasn't used to all the walking and her muscles had been protesting the last few blocks. She also knew that they were going to be doing a lot more than soaking.

–

"Hi, Sherry," Becca said into her phone. "Thanks for calling me back so quickly."

"Hi! How are you? You must be getting so excited!"

"Well, we still have over a month to go, and so much more to arrange, that I don't have time to be either nervous or excited," Becca replied.

"How can I help you?" Sherry asked. Becca's message just said that she had a request. Was there a reason the med student needed a social worker like Sherry?

"I'd like you to be one of my bridesmaids," Becca came right to the point, totally surprising Sherry.

"How many are you having? What about Steven's sister or your friends and family?" It wasn't that Sherry objected to the idea, just that she was astonished that Becca had asked her. As Ricky's friend, she'd known the younger woman for many years, but they weren't close.

"Audra will be my matron of honor and my cousin and college roommate will be bridesmaids," Becca said. She didn't want Sherry to know she was the third or fourth choice, and she definitely didn't want her to realize she was asking her partly so it would mean Sherry would spend some time with Ricky. "My best friend Judy will be attended, but well, you know she's a nun, and she doesn't think it would be right for her to be in the wedding party. You've always been so nice to me."

"I'm sure I'm not the only one. Lots of people must be nice to you because you're so kind yourself." Sherry paused. "OK, if it's what you really want, sure, I'll do it."

"Great! I'm meeting with Audra and Jackie at Tori Conway's shop next Thursday evening to look at dresses. Can you make that?"

"Thursday? Sure!"

"Great!" Becca repeated. Now she was excited, and she was beginning to understand the thrill Gretchen always got when pieces of a plan began to come together.


	14. Chapters 27-28

I tried to post this last night, but FF wasn't cooperating. I understand from other writers that it was sick, maybe too much cold weather got to it.

Back in New Jersey, at PPTH, an old friend has shown up.

Thanks for reading. I'm enjoying the comments on this story.

**Chapter 27.**

Ruth Schultz walked through the doors of PPTH on Monday morning and looked around. The lobby hadn't changed all that much since the last time she'd been there. She walked up to the desk, cleared her throat to get attention, and said, "I have an appointment with Dr. Raman in NICU about a position on staff. Can you tell me where I'd find him?"

But before the nurse on duty could reply, a voice called out, "Ruth! You're back!"

She turned to the familiar voice. "Tommy! It's great to see you. I was just asking where Raman's office is."

"Em told me you were applying for the opening in NICU. C'mon, I'll show you the way."

They rode the elevator to the second floor. "You and Emily must be very excited. This week, huh?" Ruth asked.

Tommy nodded and grinned.

"You'll both be great parents." Her plain face was transformed by a bright smile.

They got off the elevator and walked to the right. "Don't let Raman's manner fool you. He may seem flustered and disorganized, but he's really quite sharp." Tommy left Ruth at the door to the office of the head of NICU.

Ruth took a deep breath, let it out, and knocked.

"Come in, come in," Raman called. He was an older man. Short with gray hair, what there was of it, and steel-framed glasses over beady dark eyes in a nut-brown face. "Miss Schultz, is it?" he asked.

"Yes."

He nodded twice. "Sit down, sit down." As she took a seat, smoothing her long slim skirt, he shuffled through a few folders on his desk and opened one. "You've been head Pediatrics nurse at St. Bartholomews in Boston for several years." His gray eyebrows went up and down as he read, then he looked at her. "Why would you want to take a staff nurse position here?"

Ruth had been prepared for this question. It was an obvious one, and one she'd been thinking about for a while. "I grew up near here. My parents still live in the area, and so does the rest of my family. My best friends are here, some working at this hospital. It's quite a prestigious place to work."

"Hmmm. We certainly can use someone of your experience." He took a moment to look at her file once more. "Have you worked in a neonatal unit before or just pediatrics?"

"St. Barts was small, so the neonatal ICU overlapped the maternity and pediatrics department and we worked with those departments often," she replied. "I've also worked as a surgical nurse, and in a cardiac unit."

"Good, good," Raman said. "Here we are a separate department, of course, but we bring in consultants from other departments, and work closely with maternity." He was silent for a minute or two. Just when Ruth began to wonder if he'd ever speak again, he said, "I have a few other applicants." He indicated his cluttered desk. "But I should be able to let you know in a day or two."

"That's great," Ruth said with a smile. "I'll be staying with my folks all week, so you can reach me there or on my cell phone." She pulled out a card and wrote the numbers down for him. "I'm looking forward to coming back here." She stood and held out her hand.

His grasp was surprisingly strong and firm. "Thank you for coming in today," Raman said, and returned her smile. She suspected he'd already made up his mind but he wanted to speak with the hospital administrator about the offer he wanted to make.

Ruth thought the interview had gone well. She walked back to the elevator and pushed the button, humming a happy tune to herself. She was still smiling when she got on the elevator, and when she saw the tall man standing inside, staring at her, her smile broadened.

"Dr. House. It's good to see you."

House narrowed his eyes at her. "You don't work here," he stated, as if he was telling her something she didn't know.

"Not yet. Didn't your daughter tell you I was applying for a job in NICU?"

House thought Gretchen might have, but he hadn't paid attention. "How's your mother doing?" he asked, not so much because he wanted to know, but because he wanted to change the subject.

"Quite well." Ruth smirked. "No more misdiagnoses."

"Good," he said.

"I'm looking forward to seeing Gretchen, and Emily too."

"There's a lot more of them to see these days."

Ruth held in her snort. He was always so funny! "So I've heard." They'd reached the lobby and both got off. "I'll probably be seeing you around," Ruth told House.

He just nodded and walked off.

Ruth chuckled. It was good to be back in Princeton.

**Chapter 28.**

Ruth was headed for the hospital exit when she saw Gretchen in the clinic and she changed direction. "Gretchen, hold up!" she called to her friend who was about to walk into an exam room.

"Ruth!" Gretchen responded with a big grin. "Wait right here while I take this patient, OK? And then we can talk."

"Sure," Ruth agreed, taking a seat among the people waiting for a doctor.

It wasn't long before Gretchen came out of the room talking to an elderly woman patient. She made a note in the file and left it on the desk, then came over to join Ruth. "Why don't we get some coffee?"

"OK." As the two women walked to the cafeteria, Ruth studied Gretchen. "You look great! How are you feeling?"

"Aside from the constant pressure on my bladder, terrific."

"Well, you look very pregnant," Ruth said with a chuckle.

"You should see Em! Her stomach is bigger than she is." They both laughed.

Ruth could easily picture Emily. "I saw Tommy earlier, and he said she'd be giving birth this week."

Gretchen nodded. "Probably on Thursday or Friday. How'd your interview go?"

"I think it went well. I guess it depends on the credentials of the other candidates." She shrugged.

"What did Raman say?" Gretchen asked as they entered the cafeteria.

"That he had several other applicants, but I should hear this week." Ruth got a cup of coffee.

Gretchen selected herbal tea. "I've reached the point where I can't tolerate caffeine much less what passes for coffee in the PPTH cafeteria. I bet Raman just wants to talk to Aunt Lisa before he makes the decision. It'll be so great to have you back here!"

"I'm looking forward to it." Ruth looked around as they sat down at a small table. "I'm beginning to realize how many people I know who work here." She saw Marty and Nancy sitting not far away, chatting and laughing, and Nelson and Tommy getting up from a table on the other side of the cafeteria. "I even saw your dad on the elevator just after my interview," she went on.

Nelson and Tommy stopped at their table on their way out. "How'd it go?" Tommy asked.

"OK, I think," Ruth replied. "Gretchen thinks he probably wants your mom's approval."

He grinned. "Then it's a done deal!"

"Why don't we all have dinner together tonight?" Gretchen suggested. "Unless your parents expect you to eat with them," she told Ruth.

"No, actually they had plans for tonight," Ruth said. "It'll be so good to see everyone again!"

"Then it's settled," Gretchen said. "Six thirty at our house."

Nelson and Tommy looked at each other, realizing they didn't have a say in the matter. Not that they would have objected. And they were sure their wives would agree.

"Too bad Audra and Justin aren't back from their California trip yet," Ruth said.

"It'll just give us an excuse to do it again when they return. And if you get the job, we'll have lots of chances."

"I've got to get back to my office," Nelson said. "You're not the only pregnant woman around."

"I've gotta go too," Tommy said. "We'll see you later."

After they left, Ruth said, "I'm looking forward to seeing A.G."

"Why don't you come with me to see him right now?" Gretchen proposed. "I usually stop in at the Daycare center at least once a day." Gretchen hoped that Amy's father would be visiting her. Even if he wasn't, she could introduce Ruth to Amy. That was a part of her plan.

As usual, A.G. was playing with his two best friends.

"Mommy!" he shouted when he saw her come in.

"A.G.!" She put her arms around him for a hug. "Do you remember my friend Ruth?" It was doubtful. He'd been only one and a half the last time Ruth had returned for Nils Swenson's funeral.

A.G. shook his head after studying the brown-haired woman with his mother.

"Well, her name is Ruth. Why don't you introduce her to your friends?" Gretchen urged.

A.G. nodded. He'd heard his parents introduce people before. "Ru-uth, this is Amy and Zach."

The other two children giggled.

"Hi, Amy and Zach. You look like you're having fun with A.G.," Ruth said.

"We always have fun with him," Amy said. She was a pretty little thing with a snub nose coated in freckles. "Do you work here, too, like our parents?"

"I hope I'm going to," Ruth replied.

"Amy's dad teaches Cardiology, and Zach's mom also works at PPTH," Gretchen explained.

"I guess twenty-five years from now, you three will be the newest doctors here," Ruth said.

"Uh-uh," Zach said, shaking his head. "I'm gonna be a cowboy!"

"Well, you already have the clothes for it," Ruth said. The boy was wearing a cowboy hat and bandana as well as fancy boots.

He looked at her seriously. "Yup!"


	15. Chapters 29 and 30

A little more California as well as some New Jersey in these two chapters.

Hope you enjoy.

**Chapter 29.**

Audra arrived back at the hotel after several hours, and several hundreds of dollars worth, of shopping at Pier 39. Mostly she'd bought gifts for everyone back in New Jersey, including plush sea lions for Emily's and Gretchen's new babies, a larger one for A.G., and a model of a cable car for Steven.

Justin had called her a couple of hours earlier to confirm that they were having dinner with Henry Page at their hotel, so she knew she had to change from her khaki knee-length culottes and camp shirt. It had gotten a little cooler during her trolley ride back from the wharf, but they'd be indoors. After a shower, she put on the same dress she'd worn to dinner with Jack and Diane, the straw-colored sheath with the turquoise sleeves and belt. She pulled the scrunchy out of her ponytail and let her hair down, and put on a bit of make-up.

Justin walked in just as she was finishing. "Hmmm. You look good enough to eat," he said.

Audra smiled at him. "Just a few kisses for now, but the rest will have to wait until later."

"Promises, promises," Justin pretended to complain.

"Have I ever reneged on a promise to you?"

He shook his head. "I'll take some of those kisses and then freshen up. Hank's meeting us in the bar in half an hour." He pulled her close and kissed her deeply, then let go.

"What about his wife?" Audra didn't remember Justin mentioning that he had one, but then again, he hadn't mentioned Diane either.

"He's a widower," her husband replied over his shoulder as he walked into the bathroom. "Wife died two years ago."

"Oh, that's too bad."

He came back, collected another kiss, and then grabbed a clean shirt before returning to the bathroom. "Sad, really. Liver cancer that had metasticized."

Audra shook her head. As an oncologist, she'd seen too many cases like that. Although they'd developed early screening tests, most people never had them and too many found out too late that they had tumors in one organ or another.

Justin returned to her looking fresh and handsome. "Time for a few more of those kisses," he said before planting his lips firmly on hers. But finally they had to take the elevator up to the penthouse restaurant.

Henry Page was a man of medium height and slim build with sleek dark hair and piercing dark eyes. He was a few years older than Justin. They found him sitting at the bar, nursing a glass of what looked like Scotch. The bar was a reconstruction of a San Francisco bar from the Gold Rush days, lots of dark wood, ornate trim and brass fittings.

"Justin!" Page greeted the younger man.

Audra saw him reach out his left hand to shake her husband's. That's when she noticed that Page held his right arm stiffly against his side.

"Hank, this is my wife, Audra," Justin said proudly.

Page passed admiring eyes over the lovely young woman. "Your husband has been extolling your abilities every chance he got, but he didn't tell me you were drop-dead gorgeous."

Audra felt her fair-skinned cheeks turn bright pink. She never knew how to respond to compliments like that. She muttered a 'thank you' and 'nice to meet you'.

"Shall we?" Page picked up his drink and led the way out of the bar and into the elegant restaurant. Like the bar, it was furnished with items from the early twentieth century, or at least good replicas. But unlike the bar, it was a beautiful room.

A hostess seated them and handed out menus and a wine list. Audra glanced at her menu, but she was fascinated by the crystal chandeliers and the views of the city through the nearby windows.

"What are you having, Audey?" Justin asked. He was torn between the prime rib and the Alaskan king crab.

"Hmmm? Oh!" She looked back at the menu. "The pecan-crusted salmon sounds good."

They ordered. Justin decided on the prime rib and Page ordered that too.

Justin had already told Audra that the negotiations had gone well. "Are you planning to come to New Jersey to see the installation of your fuel cells?" she asked Page.

He nodded. "If I can get away. I'll be interested in seeing how they work with East Coast construction."

"I told Hank that we might want to use the cells as back-up power supply for the new office park we're constructing," Justin told Audra.

Her mind was already considering whether he'd be a good match for her only single friend, Ruth. But first she had to find out more about him. "That'll be great! Then we can take you to some of our favorite places in Princeton. Tell me, Hank, how do you feel about Chinese food? Do you like burgers? And how about video games?"

**Chapter 30.**

Ruth arrived at the same time as Nelson and Elizabeth. She hugged Beth while Nelson rang the bell. Scott must have been close because he opened the door immediately, and A.G. came running to see who it was.

"I brought fresh bread from the Italian bakery," Ruth said as she entered, and Beth added, "I brought the salad."

"Then you can both come in," Scott told them with a smile and bow and a sweep of his arm.

"What about me?" Nelson followed close on their heels. "I'm with her," he said, pointing to his wife and winking at A.G.

The little boy giggled, and he and his dad followed the others into the kitchen, where Gretchen was pulling a tray of lasagna from the oven.

"Where are Tommy and Em?" Beth asked.

"I don't know," Gretchen said. "They should have been here by now." She took the lasagna into the living room and put it down on a trivet in the center of the table. It was soon joined by the bread and salad. "A,G., go wash your hands," she told her son.

He looked at all the grownups. "Why don't they have to wash too?" he asked to everyone's amusement.

"Because they haven't been finger painting."

He accepted that explanation and scampered off to the bathroom.

"He's so cute!" Ruth exclaimed. "His little friends were too."

It was the opening Gretchen needed. "What did you think of Amy Lerner?"

"That was the little girl playing with A.G. at the daycare, right? Pretty little thing. And that Zach was a pistol, no pun intended," Ruth said.

"I think my wife wants to set you up with Amy's father," Scott blurted.

"Scott!" Gretchen exclaimed at the same time as Ruth said, "Gretchen! I can find my own dates, thank you!"

"What, and deny Gretchen her greatest pleasure?" Beth teased.

"Not her greatest," Scott remarked, wiggling his eyebrows, only to have Gretchen exclaim, "Scott!" once more.

But by then they were all laughing.

A.G. came back into the dining room, running as fast as his little legs could carry him so he didn't miss anything.

As they sat down to eat, Beth asked, "Should we wait for Tommy and Emily?"

As if on cue, the door bell rang. Scott went to let the last of their guests in with his little shadow right behind him.

"Sorry we're late," Tommy apologized, handing Gretchen two gallons of ice cream for dessert and a box which smelled suspiciously like apple pie. "Little Mama, here, felt a twinge," he explained.

"Are you OK?" a concerned Gretchen asked her friend.

"I'm fine, stop fussing. It was probably just a Braxton-Hicks contraction." Emily was rubbing her beach ball-shaped belly. "I've had them before. Not painful, just a kind of tightening."

Gretchen nodded at her description. She'd had them too.

They sat down to dinner. Soon mouths were too full to speak except for the occasional comment about how delicious the food was. A.G. may have summed it up best of all. "Mommy, this is yummy!"

Their plates were almost scraped clean when Emily suddenly clutched her stomach. "Oh!"

"Em, another contraction?" a concerned Tommy asked.

She nodded, too tense to speak, and shifted her position.

"It's a good thing there's no shortage of doctors here," Gretchen said, taking her friend's hand.

"Including your Ob/Gyn," Nelson told her.

"What's the matter Auntie Em?" A.G. asked, his forehead creased in concern.

Emily had relaxed enough to answer. "I think my baby is getting anxious to come out," she told him. She always got a kick out of him calling her 'Auntie Em'.

"Does he want to play?" A.G. asked.

"Remember we told you that when the babies come they'll be much too little to play with you?" Scott reminded his son.

The boy nodded twice.

"And our baby's a 'she'," Tommy added. "A girl."

"Oh. That's OK. I like girls."

"Em, do you want to lie down?" Gretchen asked.

Emily shook her head. "I'm OK now."

"Was the contraction the same as the one earlier?" Nelson asked. He was in doctor mode.

"I think it was a little stronger. Does that mean something?" Em asked. She may have done an obstetrics rotation in med school but at the moment, that all flew out of her head.

"As long as the time between them doesn't shorten. I don't think we have to rush you to the hospital just yet." Nelson said with a reassuring smile.

"How about some ice cream?" Tommy suggested. He knew what his wife liked.

"I'd love some, and I bet the little one would too," Emily said.

Everyone thought that was a good sign.


	16. Chapters 31 and 32

Audra and Justin are finally home, but things haven't stood still while they were gone.

Thanks for taking the time to read my story. Leave a comment if you care to.

**Chapter 31. **

The next day Audra and Justin walked through the door of their home and were immediately attacked by a ball of fur. Audra laughed. "I'm happy to see you too," she said, dropping her bag and lifting Maxie to nuzzle her. The calico cat was soon purring happily.

"I'll take the suitcases to the bedroom," Justin said, rolling the first two to the stairway.

"OK. I think I'll call my mom and then yours to let them know we're home." She sat down in a living room armchair, with Maxie curled on her lap, and took out her phone.

Nancy was in her office. She picked up immediately. "Hi, honey. Are you home?"

"Yes, we just got here," Audra said. "It was a good trip but I'm glad to be back. Thanks for checking on Maxie while we were gone."

"It was a pleasure. Any chance you can come for dinner tonight?" Nancy asked.

"I'll check with Justin. His parents will probably invite us too."

"Bring them with you. Steven and Becca are coming," she added.

"OK. How are the wedding plans coming along? Do you know when Becca wants to look for dresses for the wedding?" Audra was eager to catch up on all that was happening, even though she'd been getting brief updates while she was away.

"Sometime this week, I think. You can ask her tonight."

"Well, we'll see you then. About six thirty, OK?" Audra asked.

"Perfect!"

"Anything I can bring?"

"You mean besides yourself and that handsome husband of yours?" Nancy asked with a laugh. "How about dessert?"

"Will do. Bye Mom, I missed you."

"I missed you too." Nancy closed the connection and turned a smiling face to Cameron, who had been watching her as she talked to her daughter. "They're home."

"That's great. Gretchen says Audra messaged her that they were having a great time," Cameron said.

"But I'm glad they're home."

"You love that girl very much, don't you?"

"She's been such a joy to me and Marty from the minute we took her in, and Justin's just as wonderful. I guess we're both lucky to have such great daughters and son-in-laws."

"You can say that again!" Cameron exclaimed.

"Say what?" House asked, appearing in the doorway.

"We were just rhapsodizing about our daughters and their husbands," his wife told him.

"And we can't forget our sons," Nancy added.

"What about your husbands?" House asked.

"Oh, them." Cameron shrugged dismissively, then laughed.

#

Not much later, the phone rang at Audra and Justin's. Justin was putting away his clothes up in the bedroom, and Audra was loading the washing machine. "I'll get it!" she called up to him. She expected it was one of her friends. Sure enough it was Gretchen.

"How'd you know we were back?" Audra asked but didn't wait for an answer. "No, wait, my mom told your mom, and she told you."

Gretchen laughed. "Well, I knew you were coming home today, but yeah."

"Yes, back to the old grind. I'm doing laundry as we speak."

"And you'll be back at the hospital tomorrow," Gretchen assumed.

"That's what I'm planning. So, how's everyone? Em still hanging in there?"

"Yes, she's had a few contractions, but she's not in labor yet. Nelson's still saying Thursday."

"What about Ruth? She jabbered me that she was here and had her interview yesterday."

"She's not sure she has the job but the interview went well," Gretchen replied. "I guess if Aunt Lisa tells Raman to hire her, he will."

"Good," Audra said. "I kinda hoped she'd be here for a while."

"Audra?"

Audra hesitated, but she had to talk to someone about it, and who better? "I met someone, the guy Justin met on business in San Francisco. He'd be perfect for her!"

"Be careful how you approach her about it," Gretchen warned. "I just mentioned Charley Lerner and she got very...I was going to say hostile, but it was really more defensive."

"You still think Charley would be good for her?" Audra hadn't forgotten that Gretchen had suggested him before.

"I don't really know. Ruth seemed to like Amy when she met her at the hospital yesterday."

"Gretchen, I think we'll have to take this slowly, let Ruth meet the two men and decide for herself," Audra advised.

"And then there's Hal Sheehan," Gretchen said. That was the oncologist that Audra had originally suggested for Ruth.

"Three may be too many!"

**Chapter 32.**

Audra rang the bell at her parents' house, and the door opened almost immediately. "Hi Dad!" She grinned at Marty and he hugged her and shook Justin's hand. "Come on in. Your mom's in the kitchen using that wok you sent."

"Oh, great!" Audra said, going directly to join her mother.

Justin followed Marty into the living room, where they both sat down. Ginger came over and curled up in Justin's lap. He chuckled at the old cat. "Maxie says 'hi'," Justin told her. She just closed her eyes and went to sleep.

"So, the trip was successful?" Marty asked.

"Yes," Justin said. He told his father-in-law all about the fuel cells Appleton Industries was buying from Jack and Hank. "Fontana's fuel cells are perfect for single family homes, and Page's will work better in office buildings and multiunit dwellings like apartment buildings and hotels."

"What about hospitals?" Marty asked.

"I hadn't even thought about it," Justin replied. "Do you think the hospital board would be amenable to the possibility?" he asked.

"I don't know. You can talk to my sister-in-law about it," Marty suggested.

Justin nodded. "She'll probably want to see how they work in other places, though."

"At least you can get her thinking about the possibilities."

##

In the kitchen, Audra was getting out plates and flatware, and Nancy was stir-frying vegetables.

"This wok is great!" Nancy said. "Thanks for sending it."

"We knew you and Dad would like it."

"Hand me that bowl of chicken," Nancy requested.

"Sure." Audra passed her mother a bowl piled high with strips of pink chicken, and Nancy began to add them to the wok.

While she worked at the stove, Nancy watched Audra out of the corner of her eye. "Is there something you wanted to talk to me about?" she asked.

"You know me too well!" Audra exclaimed. "I never asked you why you and Dad never had any kids of your own. I mean together,"

"Oh!" It wasn't at all a subject that Nancy had expected. She sighed, then began the tale that only Marty knew. "I had a child once, a girl. She'd be about your age. But she died when she was just a baby." Nancy watched Audra's face as it went from shock to pity. She wondered where it would go as she continued. "A couple of years later, I became pregnant again. Different guy. I...I had an abortion that was botched. After that, I couldn't conceive again, didn't want to really until I met Marty."

Audra didn't know what to say. She was sorry she'd even brought it up, but wasn't sorry that she now knew.

Nancy put an arm around her. "Honey, I was blessed to have you and then Steven come into my life. We love you both, as much as any child we could have had together."

"I know," Audra said. "I just started to wonder."

"Are you and Justin trying to have a child?" Nancy guessed.

Audra nodded. "No luck so far, but we just started."

"I'm sure it'll happen for you. You're both young and healthy."

###

When Audra returned from taking the plates to the table, the doorbell rang. "That has to be my in-laws," she said. "Steven wouldn't ring the bell." She left her mother to her stir-frying and went to the door.

She opened it to find that Steven and Becca had just arrived and stood behind Phil and Denise Appleton. Audra grinned at them all. "Good to see you. You're just in time," she told them. "The food's almost done."

"Smells great," Steven said.

Marty and Justin had come to the door, but Ginger watched cautiously from a distance and Fred, who'd appeared a few minutes before, ignored everyone. Marty took the lightweight jackets from the new arrivals. "Go on into the dining room," he suggested.

Nancy met them there with hot platters of food, and Audra returned to the kitchen for the rest. Soon they were all seated.

"Marty thinks the hospital might be able to use Hank Page's fuel cells," Justin told his father.

Phil nodded. "They'd be wise to install them."

"Would they provide the kind of uninterruptable power supply the hospital needs?" Steven asked, helping himself to some rice and passing the bowl to Becca.

"Hank already sold some to a nursing home in the San Francisco area, and they've been working well for them," Justin told him.

While the men continued to talk about fuel cells, the women had another topic to discuss, Steven and Becca's upcoming wedding. It wasn't that they weren't interested in alternative power sources, but they were more interested in the dresses and flowers and other arrangements associated with a wedding.

"Did you finally pick another bridesmaid?" Audra asked her soon-to-be sister-in-law.

"Yes, I asked Sherry Chambers and she agreed," Becca replied.

"Oh, I like her!" Nancy said, remembering how she'd helped clear Evan Chambers when he was falsely accused of molesting one of his students.

"Great choice," Audra agreed.

"And you'll be able to meet us at Tori's on Thursday evening to pick out dresses, won't you?" Becca asked Audra.

"Unless Em has her baby that day. Of course, if she does, Tori won't be available to help us anyway," Audra pointed out.

"Good point," Becca said. "Emily must be so excited!"

"Probably as excited as you are about the wedding," Audra responded.


	17. Chapters 33-34

Our visitors have left for home. OTOH, I'm a mentor intern for a writing class that started today, so that will be taking some of my time for the next seven weeks. Still, this story is already written, so I will continue to post.

I apologize for the mixup on the last two chapters, but the ones there now are right.

Thanks for taking the time to read my story. Leave a comment if you care to.

**Chapter 33.**

Scott strapped A.G. into his car seat, but the little boy was frowning. "Will Amy be at school today?" he asked.

"I expect so," his father told him.

"Why are you wondering about that?" his mother asked, voicing what his father had been thinking.

"'Cause yestahday she said she was moving away," A.G. replied.

Scott and Gretchen exchanged questioning looks. "Are you sure that's what she said?" Gretchen asked.

A.G. nodded vigorously.

"I haven't heard anything about Charley Lerner leaving PPTH, have you?" Gretchen asked Scott.

"No. I guess this puts a crimp in your plan for Ruth," Scott teased.

Gretchen slapped his arm good-naturedly.

They got into their vehicle, the latest cross between a sedan and an SUV, and drove to the hospital. Gretchen was deep in thought about how she could investigate whether the Lerner's were leaving or not. After they parked, she took A.G. to his classroom, hoping to run into Amy's dad.

A.G.'s face lit up in a big smile when he spotted Amy playing with Zach in the daycare center. "She's here!" He ran over to his two friends.

Gretchen chuckled. She saw that one of the preschool teachers, Ellen Gibson, was amused by him too. Since Dr. Lerner wasn't there, Gretchen approached the teacher. "Hi, Ellen. A.G. told me that Amy said she was moving away. Do you know anything about that?" Gretchen learned long before that the direct approach was usually more fruitful than her father's more devious ways of obtaining information.

"Moving? No, Dr. Lerner never said anything to me about that," Ellen replied with a frown.

"Hmmm. Well, I guess I'll have to go ask Dr. Cuddy before I go up to my office. See you later." Gretchen glanced at her son, playing happily, and left.

Gretchen could see that Cuddy was on the phone when she reached the outer office, so she stopped to talk to Sean Sullivan. The youngest of his and Megan's children was just a year older than A.G., and they traded stories about what their offspring were up to until Cuddy was finally free.

"You can go right in now," Sean said. Gretchen nodded and walked through the office door.

Cuddy smiled when she saw Gretchen. "It's good to see you. If you're here about Raman hiring Ruth Schultz, I can tell you I already gave him the go-ahead."

Gretchen shook her head and got right to the point again. "A.G. was upset to hear that Amy Lerner was moving away. Is it true?"

At first Cuddy looked puzzled. "Amy Lerner? Oh, you mean Charley Lerner's little girl." She still looked confused. "Dr. Lerner hasn't said anything about leaving. It's the middle of the semester."

"Well, that's a relief!" Gretchen said. A.G. would be happy to hear it, and she could go ahead with her plan for Ruth after all. "But why would she tell A.G. that?"

"Maybe A.G. got it wrong." But Cuddy realized as she said it what an unthinkable idea that was. "Or maybe Amy got it wrong," she amended with a grin.

Gretchen grinned back. "You will let me know if he announces he's leaving, won't you?" Gretchen requested.

"Of course," Cuddy said, making a mental note to talk to the Cardiology professor.

Gretchen had done all she could for now, except ask Charley Lerner directly. She'd probably do that the next time she saw him. "Bye," she said, leaving Cuddy's office and finally taking the elevator up to her own floor. When she arrived, she found she had an unexpected visitor.

"Hi, Mom!" she said.

"Hi, Sweetie. Much as I'm glad to see you, I'm afraid this isn't a social call, I've got a patient for you." Cameron handed Gretchen a disc and the younger woman slid it into her office terminal. Cameron went on, "We thought it was just pneumonia."

Gretchen examined the data and scans. "Looks like a lung tumor. And only four years old!"

"I've only told the parents that I was consulting with another doctor. But you agree that it looks suspiciously like a cyst?"

"I'm afraid so. Have you done a cH5 test?"

Cameron shook her head. "Not yet. Should I transfer Vanessa to you?"

"Maybe it's better if you leave her where she is, at least for now," Gretchen said. "I'll come down and do the test in fifteen minutes, OK?"

"Thanks, Gretchen. I think you're the best one to handle this patient."

"I'll do everything I can, Mom."

Cameron left to make the arrangements for her daughter to see Vanessa Corrigan. She took the elevator back to the second floor. As she got off, she saw Chase, and realized that she hadn't talked to him for a couple of weeks.

"Hi, Allison," he said when he caught sight of her.

"Hi, Robert, how are you?" There'd always been something likable about him. She'd just never loved him the way he'd wanted her to. But that was a long time ago, and now they were each happily married for almost twenty years.

"I'm fine. How's the most beautiful grandmother in the hospital doing?" he asked.

She laughed. "Don't let Clair hear you say that. And soon, Cuddy!"

Chase laughed too.

"What do you hear from Patrick? How does he like Yale?" Cameron asked him.

"He seems busy but happy," Chase replied. "He doesn't tell us much."

"I know the feeling. I'll be going up there next Monday. Anything you'd like me to bring him or tell him?"

"You can find out if he has a girlfriend. There's something he's being very evasive about, and Les and I think it might be a girl."

Cameron smiled. "We've been wondering the same thing about Alex."

"Is that why you're making the trip?" Chase asked.

"No." She explained about the request from Alex's professor.

"You? Not House?"

"Yes. We were as surprised as you are, but I think they're studying genetic testing of viruses and want to hear the Brazilian flu story."

"Well, just tell my son to call or message us more often," Chase said. "His mother worries about him."

"Oh, I'm sure it's just his mother," Cameron said, smirking at him.

"You know what I mean."

"Only too well!"

**Chapter 34.**

Vanessa Corrigan looked so small and fragile in the adult-sized hospital bed. Her alert green eyes examined Gretchen with curiosity. This lady doctor looked just like her other doctor, only she was younger, and her belly was big and round just like Vanessa's mom's was before her brother Kyle was born.

"Hi, Vanessa. My name's Dr. Billings and I need to take some more of your blood for another test," Gretchen told her. "I know it'll pinch a little, but I'll be as quick and gentle as I can, OK?"

Vanessa nodded solemnly, and bravely held out her arm. Gretchen had just taken the sample when a couple, a little older than she was, entered the room.

"You're not Dr. Cameron!" shouted the man, tall and heavyset with unruly dark-brown hair. But he did a double take.

"Josh, she's probably a nurse or an intern or something," the short, slight woman with the same fair coloring as Vanessa tried to calm him. But she, too, was studying Gretchen and looking puzzled. "You do look like Dr. Cameron."

Gretchen smiled. "I'm her daughter. Dr. Billings. She asked me to consult on Vanessa's case."

"Why?" Mr. Corrigan demanded.

"I work primarily with children," Gretchen replied, without getting into their suspicions about the child.

"You mean you're a pediatrician?" Mrs. Corrigan asked.

"Something like that.

Mr. Corrigan was still suspicious. They had a pediatrician for their children. "Why didn't Dr. Cameron consult with Dr. Grant?"

"I need to take these samples to the lab, and I'll talk to you both when I get the results," she replied rather than answer his question. Some patients' relatives made their jobs much harder. Her father had been right about that!

#

Ruth arrived at the hospital at 10:30. She'd received a call from Dr. Raman to come in to speak to him. He hadn't said she was hired, but from what her friends had told her, it was a done deal.

"Come in, Miss Shultz," he said when she knocked at his door. "Please come in."

She sat in the same chair she'd occupied when she'd been there for her interview, and waited for him to speak.

"I've talked to Dr. Cuddy, and she agreed with me that you'd be an excellent addition to our staff," he said.

Why doesn't he get to the point? she wondered, but all she said was, "I'm pleased to hear you think so."

"Yes, yes, well, I'm not sure we can offer you what you've been earning at St. Bartholomew's, of course, but we'd like to offer you a position."

Finally! "Thank you very much," she said. "I'm sure the salary will be acceptable." And she'd be home with her family and friends. She'd known she missed everyone but it hadn't been until the past few days that she'd realized how much, even with Gretchen's attempts to hook her up with the father of that cute little friend of A.G.'s.

"Ahem, would you be able to start next Monday?" Shah asked.

"Yes, of course," Ruth replied, smiling at the old man. "That would work for me."

"Good, good," he said. He took a folder from the right side of his desk and opened it. "We have your email and other addresses, I see. Our Human Resources people will be sending you employment forms. You must return them to their office before Monday."

She nodded. "Thank you, again, Dr. Raman. I promise I won't disappoint."

"Oh, I'm sure you won't. And thank you, Miss Schultz. Welcome to Princeton-Plainsboro."

Ruth wanted to share her good news with her friends, but knew they'd probably all be busy with patients. Instead, she headed to the cafeteria, hoping one or more of them were on a break, and spending it there.

She was disappointed when she entered the half-empty cafeteria because she didn't see anyone she knew. She turned around to leave, almost colliding with a tall, good-looking man. He wore a gray suit instead of a lab coat, so she assumed he wasn't a doctor.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Ruth said.

"No harm done," he said, smiling at her distress. The smile, a little crooked and very boyish, made her smile in return. "But don't you find our cafeteria appetizing?" he asked.

"What?"

"You walked in, looked around, and then did an abrupt about face," he stated.

"Oh. I was looking for some friends, but they're not here." She didn't really have to explain to this stranger, but still felt the need to.

"Maybe I can buy you a cup of coffee, and then I'll be a friend of yours too," he offered. "You do drink coffee, don't you?"

Ruth smirked. "Yes, I drink coffee." There was nothing else to do, but accept his offer. "I'm Ruth, Ruth Schultz," she said as they sat at a table.

"Hello Ruth Ruth Schultz. I'm Charley, Charley Lerner," he replied.

Well, now she could understand why Gretchen wanted her to meet the man.


	18. Chapters 35 and 36

Time for the arrival of the newest Wilson, and for Gretchen to try and diagnose her new patient.

Thanks for reading my story. Leave a comment if you care to.

**Chapter 35.**

The results of Vanessa's test was puzzling. The cancer markers that Gretchen had expected weren't there. She was still as convinced as her mother had been, however, that the spot on the girl's lung was a tumor. She hoped that Audra might have an idea about what she should do next.

Most pediatric cancer patients had leukemia or sometimes brain tumors, lymphomas or soft tissue sarcomas. She'd never had a patient before with lung cancer.

But as she approached the oncologist's office, her beeper went off, summoning her to Maternity. _Is Em having her baby?_ she wondered. She broke into a grin, but then she realized she still needed to do something about her patient to find out what was wrong with her and what to do about it. Then again, she was sure to find several consultants for her case awaiting the birth. So she reversed her steps and went off to answer her page.

Emily's mother and stepfather were already in the waiting room. "Tommy's in the delivery room with Em," Clair told Gretchen.

The father-to-be's parents arrived soon after her, followed by their niece, just the person Gretchen wanted to talk to. She pulled Audra to the side. "While we're waiting, I'd like your opinion on something." She took out her handheld and showed Audra the scan that indicated the spot on Vanessa's lung.

"You think it's lung cancer?" Audra asked.

Gretchen nodded. "My mother referred the child to me. I did a cH5 test, but it didn't show the tell-tale signs. She's also very young to have a tumor on her lungs."

"There've been cases, of course," Audra said thoughtfully. "Did you do a biopsy?" Biopsies no longer needed an aspirated sample. Instead, they could be done by a new type of scanning technique, a modification of the CT-guided biopsies of the past.

"Mom did one before she came to me, but it was inconclusive," Gretchen reported. That was the trouble with the new test. If the cancer was still small, less than half a centimeter, readings were hard to obtain. "I may have to do one the old-fashioned way," Gretchen said reluctantly. That would require getting permission from Vanessa's parents.

"You know about the rare form of childhood lung cancer associated with a genetic mutation, don't you?" Audra asked.

"The DICER1 gene mutation. Yes, I had forgotten about that," Gretchen said, her mind latching on to this new possibility. "I can do a genetic test, find out whether she has that mutation!"

At that moment, Tommy came out to the waiting room to tell everyone, "It looks like it'll be a while."

They all nodded at him in understanding and he went back to the delivery room.

"I'm going to order a test for the DICER1 enzyme. It'll be quicker than the genetic test," Gretchen told Audra.

"Good idea!"

"Page me when the birth is imminent."

Audra nodded and Gretchen left.

#

When Tommy returned to his wife's side, he asked, "How're you doing, little mama?" He mopped her sweaty forehead.

"OK," Emily replied with a tight little smile. "I just wish it was over with already."

"Soon," Nelson promised, taking his eyes off the monitors to look at her. "She's right in position, you're dilated ten centimeters, and your contractions are three or four minutes apart.

"Oh!" Em suddenly exclaimed, squeezing Tommy's hand so tightly that his fingers hurt.

"I guess that was a really strong one," Tommy said. He squeezed back and urged, "Breath, Em. Try to breath slowly and steadily. Blow out, that's a girl," he murmured soothingly.

Emily struggled to comply. It was getting harder and harder. Two minutes later she gasped out another sound.

"Start pushing harder," Nelson coaxed from his position between her legs. The intern and nurses assisting him were ready and doing all they could to help.

"Come on, Em. You can do this," Tommy told her.

Her small frame tensed with the exertion and then another contraction ripped through her body.

"Almost there!" Nelson said. "She's crowning, I can see her head."

"I don't know..." Emily cried but kept on bearing down.

Tommy moved slightly so that he could still hold her hand, but could also see his daughter emerge from the safety of the womb where she'd been growing for nine months. When he saw her, still red and wet and squirming in Nelson's hands, he couldn't stop the tears that came to his eyes. "Oh, Em, she's the most beautiful baby in the whole wide world."

It didn't take them much effort to get the baby crying, to clear her airway, or to clean her up and wrap her and put her in her mother's waiting arms.

"Hi, Sweetie," Emily cooed, all thought of what she'd been through forgotten in the moment.

Tommy leaned over Em and kissed each of them on the forehead.

**Chapter 36.**

At noon, Gretchen entered the daycare room and went immediately to her son. "C'mon, A.G., there's someone I want you to meet."

"Who?" he asked, taking his mother's hand.

"You'll see soon." They took the elevator up to Maternity and entered Emily's room.

A.G. looked at his mother. "I already know Auntie Em, and why is she in bed?"

"Hi, A.G.," Em said when she saw him. "Did you come to meet Clarissa?"

"Who?" the puzzled boy asked again.

His mother led him to a small bassinet that he hadn't noticed. She couldn't lift him, but he was tall enough to peek over the edge. "This is Clarissa, Aunt Emily and Uncle Tommy's new baby."

"She's so tiny!" he exclaimed. "Hello, Clarrrissa. I'm A.G.," he said, emphasizing the 'r's in her name. He turned to his mother. "Why doesn't she answer? Is she asleep?" He could see that her eyes were closed.

"She probably is. But she won't be able to talk much for a year. Unless she's like you and starts spouting sentences in ten months. She has to learn to talk and walk, but first she'll learn how to sit up, go to the potty," Gretchen emphasized because he was almost trained but still needed reinforcement, "and do lots of other things. Our baby will too."

A.G. looked at the baby again. "I'll teach them," he decided.

Gretchen and Emily smiled at each other. They had no doubt that he would.

As they walked back to the elevator, Gretchen and A.G. met Ruth coming the other way and carrying a stuffed dog.

"On your way to see Clarissa?" Gretchen asked with a smile.

"Who else?" Ruth had a matching smile.

"Is that for the baby?" A.G. asked.

"Yes it is," Ruth replied.

"It's as big as she is!" Gretchen said.

"I'm gonna teach her to walk and talk," A.G. told Ruth.

"That's good," Ruth told him. "She'll need someone as big as you to help her." She made a mental note to bring something for him when she brought a gift for his baby brother in another month.

The elevator arrived. "We'll see you later," Gretchen said.

Ruth nodded. "Oh, by the way. I met your Charley Lerner and you were right!"

On the ride down, Gretchen realized that in the midst of her new patient, and Emily's delivery, she'd almost forgotten about the mystery of the Lerners. "Did Amy say anything else about moving?" she asked her son.

He shook his head. "She said she's not s'posed to talk about it."

"Oh!" That was even more curious.

When they got off, they headed for the cafeteria. "What do you want?" Gretchen asked. "A hamburger, a hot dog, or grilled cheese?"

"Grilled cheese!" he replied enthusiastically.

So she got him his sandwich and a burger for herself, along with an order of fries for them to share, and a glass of milk for each of them. They found a small table and sat down.

"What do you think we should get Clarissa?" she asked.

"Like a birthday present? Blocks!" he suggested.

"Well, she's too small to play with them. Maybe something softer or maybe a mobile. Do you remember the one you had?"

"With the cars and boats," he said nodding. "I know, how about a dolly? She's a girl like Amy and Amy likes dolls."

"OK. We'll go shopping this evening. Now finish up and I'll take you back to daycare."

Once she did, Gretchen went to get the results of Vanessa's DICER1 test. She was surprised to find that there was no loss of the ribonuclease enzyme or the DICER1 protein. That indicated that the girl didn't have a pleuropulmonary blastoma after all. There was one person left for her to consult.

##

House's current team was far from the best he'd ever had. That would have been Cameron, Chase and Foreman. Hands down. Sullivan and Yen were also good, individually, but as a team they were hampered by Sheffield for a long time.

A few other fellows were commendable, but Ordonez, Marquette, and Pennington were definitely not among them. Case in point, their patient was shorter than average and presented with joint limitations, some muscle twitches, and a fixed facial expression. Ordonez was convinced it was some weird form of arthritis, and Marquette was guessing Schwartz-Jampel Syndrome. It had to be a guess since she was ignoring the fact that the symptoms hadn't started in childhood. Pennington, showing his inexperience and lack of insight, suggested a muscular disease, possibly myasthenia gravis.

House wondered once more why he'd even hired the three of them, other than the fact that they had a lot to learn from him. Besides they were fun to play with. But he had to stay sharp, since there was no way that they'd diagnose anyone without him.

He thought the patient had Isaac's Syndrome. Similar to SJS, it usually started in adolescence or later, rather than childhood. So he sent them to do an EMG, which would check any loss in muscle conductivity, whether from SJS or Isaac's Syndrome or some other muscular disease. Eventually he would have them do a blood test to confirm the presence of VGKC antibodies, but he wanted them guessing for a while longer.

There was a time when having such inept fellows would depress him. But now he had too many sources of pleasure in his life to ever feel the frustration. And here was one of them, knocking on his door. He smiled and said, "Enter at your own risk."

"Hi, Dad," Gretchen said, coming through the doorway. "I'm afraid I need a consult."

House's eyebrows lifted, but he didn't say anything yet.

"Mom brought me a case."

"And now you're bringing it to me," he pointed out.

She ignored him and went on. "The scan Mom did showed a spot on her right lung, but none of the cancer tests confirmed that." Once again she showed the scan and test results.

He studied them. "You've got yourself a dilemma, all right. I see you tested for the DICER1 enzyme."

"Audra suggested that."

House nodded. Gretchen's friend had also been one of his best fellows, so he wasn't surprised. "Good for her. You know, it might not be cancer."

"Then what is it? What's the spot?" Gretchen asked.

"I don't know," he admitted.

Gretchen looked at him in surprise. He rarely said that to her about anything.

"You'll just have to remove it, and then biopsy it," he told her with a shrug.

"But if it's not cancer, why remove it?." she asked.

"It's not doing her any good, and the only way to find out what it is, is to look at it, analyze it, maybe culture it."

Gretchen nodded. He was right of course. She left to tell the parents, and arrange for the surgery.


	19. Chapters 37 and 38

FanFiction was being wonky last night. By the time I could get into it, I didn't have time to post this. That's my excuse for posting this morning instead and I'm sticking to it :P

Everyone is anxious to see the new baby, so there's lots of that here. There's also quite a bit of what's called head-hopping in the second chapter, but then I wrote this originally before I even knew what that meant.

And the mystery of Vanessa's illness deepens with new information.

Thanks for reading my story. Leave a comment if you care to.

**Chapter 37.**

Gretchen approached Vanessa's room, rehearsing what she'd say to the girl's parents, but they weren't there. Vanessa was asleep and seemed stable for the moment.

Mr. and Mrs. Corrigan arrived while Gretchen was still checking the monitors. "What did your tests show?" Josh Corrigan demanded.

Gretchen swallowed. "There's a spot on the scan of your daughter's right lung," she began.

"She has TB?" Mrs. Corrigan asked in alarm.

"No," Gretchen said, although she hadn't considered that. The pediatrician or her mother would have ruled that out early on. Besides, TB had been completely eradicated in the U.S., and in most of the rest of the world as well.

"They said the cyst was benign," Mr. Corrigan said. "But could it have recurred?"

"What cyst?" There hadn't been any indication of a previous or current cyst in Vanessa's history.

"The one the doctors removed last year," Mrs. Corrigan replied, but then she looked guiltily at her husband.

If the child had a cyst before, either cancerous or benign, it was possible for another, of course, but all of the tests ruled out cancer. On the other hand, Gretchen began to wonder if what they were seeing on the scan might just be a scar from the previous surgery. They'd have to examine it to know. Still, she had to ask, "Why didn't you tell my mother about it?"

"Your mother? Oh, you mean Dr. Cameron," Mr. Corrigan realized.

"Who was her doctor?"

The parents exchanged a look. "Dr. Lopez was the surgeon."

Gretchen was unfamiliar with the name. "Is he at Princeton General?" she asked.

There was no answer at first. What were they trying to hide? Finally Vanessa's father seemed to come to a decision. "It was in La Paz."

"La Paz? You mean in Bolivia?" Gretchen was sure someone would have asked them whether Vanessa had ever been out of the country, especially if there was a suspicion of an infection. But there was nothing in her file. "How long was she there?" she asked, wondering why they seemed so reluctant to talk about it. It certainly opened up a range of new possibilities.

"Over a year," Corrigan said.

Gretchen realized she wouldn't get much more out of him. It was probably time to turn the case back to her mother, anyway, and yet she wanted to remain involved in Vanessa's diagnosis.

#

Soon after Gretchen left, there was a light tap on House's door. "Did you need something else?" he asked, then looked up and realized that the lovely woman in his doorway wasn't his daughter at all, but his wife.

"Were you expecting someone else?" she asked. "Should I leave?" She used a finger to indicate an about-face.

"No!" he insisted. "Gretchen just left," he said by way of explanation.

"What did she want?" Cameron asked.

"A consult on the case you brought her."

"Oh! So it's not cancer, then?"

"Don't know," he admitted. "Doesn't seem to be. Why are you here?"

"Can't I just drop in on my handsome and sexy husband?"

"You forgot brilliant."

She smirked. "I thought you might like to come with me to see Emily and the baby."

"Clarissa."

"Yeah." Cameron smiled. It was so like him to know the baby's name but she'd wager he couldn't tell her the name of his current patient.

"OK." He stood, grabbing his cane. "Let's go." He noticed as he took his wife's arm that she was carrying a package. "That for the baby?"

"Well, it's not for you," she said. "Unless you can fit into a onesie."

"It's probably girlie, too!"

Emily and Clarissa were not alone when House and Cameron arrived. The baby's father and both grandfathers were there, too. Tommy held the baby up proudly for them all to see her.

"She's precious!" Cameron exclaimed, not that she hadn't expected it.

"She so tiny!" House said.

Emily laughed. "That's exactly what your grandson said!"

"Seven pounds, eight ounces and nineteen inches long isn't so small," Wilson announced.

"You've always been satisfied with average sized...things," House replied.

"Still, we're even now," Wilson countered.

"Until next month when I'll have two grandsons and you'll only have one granddaughter." House knew what his friend meant.

"And I'll have three grandchildren," Arthur told them both.

House and Wilson nodded and laughed.

"I've brought you some more outfits for her." Cameron handed her package to Emily.

"Oh, you didn't have to do that!" Tommy and Emily had gotten lots of baby items at the shower their friends threw for them in late August. House and Cameron had given the couple an ultramodern carseat.

"You can never have too many onesies, and these were so cute I couldn't resist," Cameron said. It had been fun buying little girl things instead of the boy outfits she bought her grandson.

House had been studying the baby. "You're going to have to build a fence around this one," he told Tommy. "Before you know it, the boys will be flocking around her."

"Beginning with A.G.," Emily said with a grin.

**Chapter 38. **

Before Gretchen returned to her own patients, she went to her mother's office to report on her test results, and what Vanessa's parents told her.

"Have you seen my mom?" she asked Nancy, who sat alone in the double office she'd shared with Cameron for twenty years.

"I think she went to see the baby," Nancy reported with a big smile. "Can I help?"

"Mom asked me to consult on a patient and I wanted to tell her what I found," Gretchen answered.

"The Corrigan girl?" Nancy asked. "Such a sweet little thing!" She'd been involved peripherally in the case.

"She is," Gretchen agreed. "I've checked the file for results of a TB test, but didn't find one."

"We don't do those routinely anymore," Nan said. "There was some indication of pneumonia, but there were also some things the pneumonia didn't explain."

"I think the parents have been withholding information from the doctors here," Gretchen said. "Like the fact that the family had spent some time in Bolivia."

"Oh!"

Cameron came through the doorway, smiling at the sight of her daughter, but she suspected it wasn't a social call.

Gretchen told her everything she'd told Nancy, and then showed her mother the results of her cancer tests. "It doesn't look like there's a tumor, although we should at least examine whatever is on the lung," she concluded. "Maybe she has some exotic type of pneumonia, or even TB."

Cameron nodded. "I guess we'll need to do more tests. But why didn't the parents ever say anything about the cyst that was removed, or the fact that they'd been out of the country?"

"You'll have to ask them that," Gretchen said. She hesitated before leaving, then added, "Even if it isn't cancer, I'd like to help with the case."

Cameron could understand that. Everyone who had treated Vanessa was anxious to see her become well. "I hope we can find out what's wrong with her before I leave for Yale, but if we don't, it'll be good to know Vanessa is in your care. Nan, I hope you'll help too."

"Of course," Nancy said.

##

Audra finally had a few minutes free, and went immediately to Maternity. She smiled when she saw Tommy changing his infant daughter.

"You got him trained right!" Audra told Emily.

The new mother grinned. "Your cousin is a great daddy!"

Tommy looked at them both, not at all embarrassed by their comments. "I learned from the best," he said, thinking about his own father, Uncle Marty, and House. "Do you want to hold her?" he asked Audra. He'd finished cleaning and changing her.

Audra's eyes lit up. "Could I?" She reached out her arms for the tiny bundle. "She's absolutely adorable! And she smells good, too."

"Now," Tommy commented with a smirk.

"Sis, you look good like that," Steven told Audra as he entered with his fiancée.

"You do!" Becca agreed.

Audra smiled. She sincerely hoped that she'd be a mother herself by this time next year. "I just hope that any kids I have are as cute as Clarissa." She planted a gentle kiss on the baby's forehead.

Becca came closer to her and said, "She really is a sweet looking baby. Most of them are indistinguishable from each other. But not Clarissa!"

"Hello all!" Tori called out, joining them all, then put a hand over her mouth and whispered, "Sorry, I hope I didn't wake the baby."

"It's OK, Aunt Tori," Emily said. "She hasn't been fazed by any of her visitors so far."

Tori carried the big package in her arms to her niece's bedside. "This is for the baby, of course."

Emily didn't have to open the package to know that it was another stuffed animal, even larger than the dog that Ruth had brought earlier. As she pealed off the gaily colored wrapping paper, she realized it was a giant panda. She smiled. Leave it to her aunt. "Thanks!"

"Kinda big, huh?" Tori asked, wrinkling up her nose. "But it just called to me!"

"Want to hold her?" Audra asked, offering to hand Clarissa to her great-aunt.

"Me? Oh! Yes, of course," Tori said. She took the baby and really looked at her. "She looks just like you did as a baby," she told Emily. "This is so exciting!"

"Can I hold her?" Becca asked.

"Sure," Emily said.

Tori handed the baby over. Suddenly, a thought occurred to her. "Weren't we going to have you pick out the dresses for your wedding tonight?" she asked Becca.

"Don't worry. I told everyone we'd do it tomorrow night," the bride-to-be reassured her.

"Good!"

Audra looked at her watch. "I've got to go, but I'll be back when I can," she said. She hugged Emily and then Tommy, and promised to see Becca and Tori the next night. As she left, she was more determined than ever to become pregnant as soon as possible.


	20. Chapters 39 and 40

Another member or two joins the Clarissa Admiration Society, and A.G. learns a little more about babies. Finally, the proud parents get to take her home.

Thank you all for reading. Your comments put a big smile on my face.

**Chapter 39.**

"Tori! I didn't expect to find you here," Clair told her sister.

"Nothing would keep me away from seeing my great-niece." Tori nuzzled the baby in her arms.

"Isn't she beautiful?" the proud grandmother gushed. It was obvious she couldn't wait to hold her, but let her sister to continue to cuddle the baby. She turned to her daughter. "How are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm a bit sore, but overall, I think I'm still euphoric," Emily replied.

Next to arrive was Clarissa's other grandmother. Cuddy's eyes were immediately drawn to the infant in Tori's arms. She didn't really see anyone else.

"Want to hold her?" Tori asked. She seemed reluctant to give Clarissa up, but she'd been holding her for twenty minutes. She placed the baby in Cuddy's arms.

Clair smiled at the look of adoration on the hospital administrator's face.

"You're all going to spoil her," Emily warned. "And then she'll want Tommy and me to hold her all the time."

"But that's the privilege of grandparents," Cuddy replied. "We spoil 'em and then walk away." She refocused on the sweet little one in her arms.

"I think my mother's in love," Tommy commented.

"Can you blame her?" Tori asked. "I think we all are. I'll have to bring Evan back with me later to see her and join the Clarissa fan club." She sighed. "She looks so much like Em did, doesn't she?" she asked her sister.

"Very much," Clair agreed.

At last Cuddy turned to Clair. "Have you had a chance to hold her yet?"

Clair shook her head.

Cuddy brought the baby over, and Clair took her gladly. She gazed down at the pretty face, dark blue eyes fringed with lashes that had no right to be so long, blond fuzz covering her scalp, tiny fingers searching for her mouth. The eyes would lighten with time and the hair would grow into luxurious curls, it was in her genes. This baby was so sweet and perfect, and would bring them all so much happiness.

#

Gretchen finished with her patients for the day. There were no further results on Vanessa Corrigan, so she headed for the daycare room to pick up her son.

Scott was already there, delighting A.G. and his friends by coloring with them.

"Daddy, you didn't stay inside the lines!" A.G. told him.

"And I never saw a bear that was blue," Zach added.

"Did you ever see a bear?" Scott asked the toddler, who nodded. "What color was it?"

"I saw one at the zoo," he replied. "It was, um, brown. And the bears on TV were white."

"I guess you've never been in the Himalayas," Scott said.

"Huh?" Zach had never heard of the Himalayas.

"There's a kind of bear in Tibet that's called the Himalayan Blue Bear," Scott explained.

Gretchen grinned at the look on the kids' faces. "Time to finish coloring for today," she told her son.

Her husband rose from his place on the floor, and A.G. said 'Goodbye' to his friends.

"Are we going to get the doll for Clarissa?" A.G. asked, as his mother helped him on with his jacket.

"Maybe we'll have something to eat first," Gretchen suggested.

"Pizza!" A.G. exclaimed.

Gretchen laughed. "Sure."

There was a pizza parlor not far from the baby store, so they stopped there. Gretchen and Scott were amazed at how easily A.G. handled his slice of pizza without them having to cut it up for him. He grinned at them around a string of cheese, swallowed and said, "Grandpa showed me how."

They finished eating, Gretchen cleaned up her son's face, and they were on their way again.

The baby store was one of those mega palaces devoted to everything infant, from cribs and carriages to clothing and diapers to toys. Gretchen wanted to look at the latest accouterments and the cute outfits, but A.G. was anxious to get to the toys, so she cut her browsing short.

"How about this one?" A.G. asked, picking up a pretty little doll with blue eyes and blond hair.

"Those eyes can come out," his mother told him gently. "We wouldn't want Clarissa swallowing one."

"Doesn't she know you're not s'posed to put toys in your mouth?" the two-and-a-half year-old asked, as if everyone should know that.

"Not yet. Baby's use their mouths as much as anything else to explore the world around them," Scott explained. "They like to taste everything, so we should find one that she can't hurt herself on."

After much searching they eventually settled on a slightly smaller one with printed blue eyes and yellow hair, guaranteed to be non-toxic and baby-safe.

"She's pretty, but not as pretty as Clarissa," A.G, said, and his parents smiled.

**Chapter 40.**

Justin and Audra drove to the hospital together Friday morning. He had an early appointment with Lisa Cuddy to discuss the use of fuel cells at PPTH. Installations were already progressing well at the Appleton Industries properties and he hoped to convince her that the technology would benefit the hospital. If he could, he knew she'd present the idea to the hospital board.

"I'll probably stop in and see Emily and the baby after I talk to your Aunt Lisa," Justin told his wife.

"I think they were going home today, so I hope you catch them before they're gone," Audra cautioned.

Justin shrugged. "If I don't, maybe we'll go to visit them at home this evening."

"Remember, I'm meeting Becca and her bridesmaids at Tori's. We can go afterwards though," she suggested, smiling at him.

"Can you join me for lunch?" he asked.

"Sure." She kissed him goodbye, and he headed for the administrator's office.

Sean sent Justin right through. "Dr. Cuddy's expecting you."

"Justin, it's good to see you," Cuddy said.

"I hear congratulations are in order, Grandma," Justin said. "I hope I can see your granddaughter before Emily takes her home today."

"She's so beautiful!" Cuddy said, her face lit up in a grin. "But you didn't come to talk to me about Clarissa."

"No. I came to recommend that the hospital consider the kind of fuel cells we're installing in our apartment houses and office buildings." He explained about Hank Page's cells. "He's already had them installed in some nursing homes in the Bay Area with great success."

"So the technology is promising? We talked about solar energy cells several years ago, but the sun doesn't shine enough in New Jersey for those to be effective at controlling costs."

"This is a new type of fuel cell, and the technology is very promising," Justin told her.

She consulted her calendar. "There's a board meeting next Thursday. I can have it put on the agenda. Could you be there to present your proposal?"

"Sure!" he said. "Meanwhile, would you like to see the cells in operation? I can show you what we've done at the Appleton Building downtown," he offered.

"Yes, that's a good idea," Cuddy agreed. "Have Sean set that up for me for early next week."

"Great!"

"Thanks, Justin," Cuddy said.

"Oh, don't thank me. I was discussing the cells with your brother-in-law and he suggested I talk to you."

"Then I'll make sure to thank Marty."

Justin stopped at Sean's desk to arrange to meet Cuddy at the office building on Tuesday morning, and then took the stairs to maternity.

He found Tommy stuffing things into a suitcase. Emily was nowhere to be seen.

"Hi, Justin. Did you come to see our bundle of joy?" Tommy asked.

Justin nodded and walked over to the bassinet. He looked down at the little creature lying in it. "She's as pretty as everyone says," Justin said, not that he was surprised.

"You can pick her up if you want to. She doesn't seem to mind who's holding her," Tommy said with a grin.

Justin reached in and lifted the baby. She was quite a handful as small as she was.

Emily came out of the bathroom, struggling with her pants zipper. "I can't seem to close these!" she cried, just about to give up. Then she saw Justin holding her daughter. "Oh, hi Justin!"

"Give yourself a few weeks," Tommy told Em. "You'll be back into all of your clothes before you know it."

But she was too busy watching Justin with the baby. "She's a squirmy worm, isn't she?" She turned back to her husband. "What do I wear to go home? My maternity clothes are way too big."

"I'll go see if I can scare up a pair of scrub pants," Tommy told her. "The top looks great!"

Emily frowned. She knew her fuller breasts were stretching the fabric, but the shirt would have to do.

"I'll be right back," Tommy promised. "Make sure I didn't forget anything."

She looked around the room, glancing occasionally at Justin who was humming to the baby. But then Clarissa began fussing. "I'll take her. She's probably hungry."

"Oh!" Justin said. "Do you want me to leave?"

Emily chuckled. "I'll try to be discrete. Someday your wife will be doing this too, you know."

Justin nodded. He hoped it wouldn't be long, maybe by this time next year.

Tommy returned with a pair of green scrubs and a wheelchair. "I know these don't go with your top, but they were all I could find in a small enough size."

Emily finished feeding Clarissa, and reluctantly sat in the wheelchair for her ride down to the car, the baby nestled in her arms. Tommy pushed the chair, and Justin carried the suitcase and other paraphernalia they'd accumulated. Little mama and her baby were going home.


	21. Chapters 41 and 42

We'll let Clarissa and her parents settle in at home without our help and continue on with a couple other stories.

Thanks again for reading my story. Loving your comments.

**Chapter 41.**

With the new knowledge about Vanessa's medical history and the year or more she'd spent in Bolivia, Cameron had ordered additional tests. Now she had the results, negative for TB and negative for the more exotic forms of pneumonia. But the number of interstitial infiltrates was increasing.

The treatment with the usual antibiotics had not been very effective. They still didn't know what was wrong with Vanessa. Cameron believed that the disease, whatever it was, wouldn't have progressed this far if her parents had been honest to begin with. They would have been able to narrow their search, and Vanessa wouldn't have had to go through so many tests. House's mantra was proven right again.

When she'd told him about the information the Corrigans had withheld, besides the expected 'everybody lies', he'd questioned why they'd kept their visit to La Paz a secret. She'd been wondering about it herself, and was determined to find out, but first she had to diagnose the child. She had to talk to the child's parents again.

Michelle Corrigan sat at her daughter's bedside reading her a book. Cameron smiled to see it was the latest in the Fiddlesticks series.

"My son and his friends loved those books," she told Mrs. Corrigan. "My grandson does too."

"So does Vanessa," the mother said.

Cameron looked again at Vanessa, noting that her green eyes were duller and she was having trouble concentrating. A glance at the monitors showed a new symptom. She was going into renal failure. They could treat that, maybe prevent it from progressing, but it triggered a thought. "I need to do an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay," she told Mrs. Corrigan. "There are diseases that have been eliminated in this country that still occur in parts of Central and South America, and I think she may have one of them." She sighed. "Why didn't you tell Dr. Grant or me that you'd been to Bolivia?"

"I...we..." Michelle Corrigan was visibly flustered.

"Why were you there for over a year?"

"She doesn't have to tell you that!" Josh Corrigan shouted, entering the room.

"Mr. Corrigan, if we'd known about the trip, we could have diagnosed Vanessa by now!" Cameron shouted back. "And your daughter wouldn't have suffered any of the irreversible damage we're seeing now. Her kidneys are failing. If we don't diagnose her quickly, she might die."

#

Justin dropped off his wife at Tori's boutique after they shared a quick supper at the diner near the hospital. He kissed her goodbye and said, "I'll pick you up at nine."

Becca and her cousin were already there, talking to Tori about dress colors. Steven and Becca had agreed on a blue and white wedding, so she wanted her maid of honor and bridesmaids in shades of blue.

Sherry arrived, followed closely by Jackie, Becca's college roommate. Becca looked at her four attendants and it struck her how different they were in size and coloring. There was Jahzara, tall and thin with bronze skin, looking like a modern-day Cleopatra. And Audra, who wasn't as tall but just as slim with long reddish-blond hair and fair skin reflecting her Scandinavian heritage. Sherry was the shortest of the four. The stylish cut of her hair disguised the mousey brown color. Jackie had the kind of milk chocolate skin and voluptuous figure that Ricky usually went for, but Becca knew Jackie was already in a very stable relationship.

How was she going to find a dress that suited all of them? She looked at Tori, who was studying the women. "Do you have anything that will look good on everyone?" she pleaded.

Tori smiled and reassured her, "Of course. Wait right here." Before long she was back with three dresses, in varying shades of blue. One was simple but elegant, sleeveless with bands of satin at the top and bottom. The second was a little fancier, strapless with an embroidered bodice, narrow waist, and slightly flared skirt. The last was sexier, with a long slit up the straight skirt and a low-cut top.

"I like the strapless one," Jackie said.

"It'll be cold in November," Audra reminded her.

"There's a wrap that goes with it," Tori said, showing them the wide and long piece of fabric, embroidered in the same pattern as the bodice.

"I'd like to see how they look on everyone," Becca said, and the others nodded.

Tori got their sizes and soon they were trying on each of them while Becca watched.

**Chapter 42.**

House woke on Saturday morning to find that he was alone in bed. Puzzled, he glanced at the bedside clock and saw it was only 7:30, but he heard the shower running. Why was his wife up so early on the weekend?

The water stopped and Allison padded back to the bedroom, a small towel wound around her hair and a larger one around her wet torso. House licked his lips.

"Why are you up so early?" he asked. He didn't remember that they had anything planned for the day. He thought they'd spend the weekend together before she left for Yale on Monday.

"I have to go into the hospital to see the results of Vanessa's tests and get her started on new meds," Cameron replied. "I'm pretty sure she has hantavirus pulmonary syndrome."

"Did the parents ever reveal what they were doing in La Paz?" he asked, interested in the diagnosis as well as the Corrigans' secretiveness.

Cameron shook her head. "They're still being cagey about it. Either it was something illegal or something to do with National security, I'd guess."

"You think they're spies?" he scoffed.

"Maybe." Her brows furrowed.

"It could be industrial espionage," House suggested.

"I hadn't thought of that," she admitted. "But I'm more concerned about Vanessa right now. She started to go into renal failure yesterday, and I had to give her intravenous fluids. I hope we don't have to subject her to dialysis."

He nodded slowly as he got out of bed. At first Cameron thought he was just going to the bathroom, but he returned carrying his clothes as she was beginning to dress.

"Where are you going?" Cameron asked.

"I figured I'd go with you," he said with a shrug. "Not as much fun here without you."

She wasn't sure whether he meant at the house in general or more specifically in bed. The only thing she was sure of was his curiosity about the diagnosis and even more about Vanessa's parents.

They ate a quick breakfast and headed to the hospital. They stopped at the lab for Vanessa's test results. Neither House nor Cameron was surprised that they confirmed HPS.

"You can give her Deviran," House suggested, and Cameron nodded in agreement.

Josh Corrigan looked at House with suspicion when they entered his daughter's room.

"We know what's wrong with Vanessa," Cameron announced. "It's called hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. It's almost non-existent in this country and even in Central and South America it's rare."

"In Eurasia, a similar virus causes complete kidney failure almost immediately," House added, even though it was beside the point.

"As I told you yesterday, Vanessa's kidneys are beginning to fail," Cameron said.

"And that could have been avoided if you hadn't lied!" House interjected. The parents' eyes went back and forth between the two of them.

Cameron smirked at House. "What we're going to do is treat her with Deviran. It's a relatively new drug that binds the virus and renders it harmless," she explained. "Then we'll see how much damage has been done to her lungs and kidneys. Hopefully, we can reverse some of the damage."

"She didn't take Diamox or Dexamethasone to prevent high altitude sickness before you went to La Paz, did she?" House asked. "It's not usually given to anyone under the age of five." That, too, had nothing to do with what was wrong with Vanessa. It was just a probe for more information about their trip.

But rather than reply, Corrigan asked Cameron, "Who is this guy? What's he doing here?"

Cameron glanced at her husband, then back to Vanessa's father. "He's Dr. Gregory House. He's the head of the Diagnostics Department at this hospital. And I'd like to hear your answer to his question."

Reluctantly Corrigan replied, "No, she didn't take any high altitude medication. We lived in Denver before we went to Bolivia."

"But Denver is only a mile high. La Paz is closer to two," House pointed out.

Still, no matter what House or Cameron asked or said, Corrigan wouldn't say anything about why they were in Bolivia.

##

Ruth sat on a bench in front of Macy's at the mall, waiting for her sister Jessica. They were going to shop for a gift for their mother for her sixtieth birthday. Twenty years before they hadn't thought that Doris Schultz would make it to sixty. And then Gretchen's father had proven she'd been misdiagnosed.

A shadow fell over Ruth and didn't go away. Ruth looked up into the laughing eyes of Charley Lerner. His daughter was at his side.

"Ruth, right?" he asked.

"Um, yes," she replied, mentally kicking herself for the lame response. She finally tore her eyes away from his to look at the little girl. "Hi, Amy. Do you remember me?"

Amy looked at her father, as if to ask permission to speak, and when he gave a slight nod, she replied, "You're A.G.'s mom's friend."

"That's right." Ruth nodded and smiled at her. Her eyes returned to the handsome man. She felt she needed to explain her presence at the mall. "I'm waiting for my sister."

He nodded just as her cell phone rang. When she hesitated to even look at it, he said, "You should get that."

"Oh, yes. Of course." It was still playing it's song when she looked at the caller ID. It was Jess. "Hi, I thought you'd be here by now," Ruth told her sister.

"Sorry, Ruth. I'm not going to be able to make it today. Matt's not feeling well."

"What's wrong with him?" Ruth asked with concern. Matt was Jessica's five-year-old son.

"He has a slight fever and sore throat. I don't want to leave him," Jess said.

"No, of course not," Ruth agreed.

"I'll call you later and let you know whether I can make it tomorrow."

"Just take care of my nephew and don't worry about it. We still have another week," Ruth replied. "I'll talk to you later. Bye." She closed the connection. She was surprised to find Charley and Amy still standing there watching her.

"Sounds like you got stood up. I was just about to take Amy for some lunch," Charley said. "Would you care to join us?"


	22. Chapters 43 and 44

I'll be touching on a few of the many storylines in these chapters.

Thanks again for reading my story. Loving your comments.

**Chapter 43.**

Ruth, Charley and Amy walked toward the food court. Was that the kind of lunch Charley meant? But they continued past the fast-food stands and the women offering samples of bourbon chicken and pepperoni pizza. Finally Charley stopped in front of Brach's, a sit down restaurant specializing in soups and sandwiches.

They were seated after just a few minutes. A college-age waitress came over to take their drink orders. "I'll have coffee, and milk for my daughter," Charley told her. "Ruth?"

"I'd like an iced tea," she said.

"So, does your sister usually disappoint you?" Charley asked after the waitress left.

"No! I mean, she certainly couldn't leave her son home with a fever. As a father you should understand that." Ruth replied.

"Of course," he agree. He turned to Amy. "How about some chicken fingers?" he asked her.

She nodded, then went back to studying Ruth. Ruth smiled at her and she made an attempt to smile back.

"I think I'll have the blackened chicken sandwich with sweet potato fries," Ruth told Charley, as she set aside her menu.

"That sounds good," he agreed, and when the waitress returned with their drinks, he placed their orders. He sat back finally and said, "So you're a friend of Dr. Billings."

"Gretchen," Ruth said, to clarify which Dr. Billings he meant. "Yes, we've been friends since fourth grade. A few of our other friends work at the hospital too," she volunteered.

"And you?" he asked. "Where do you work? What do you do?" He had never seen her at the hospital before running into her at the cafeteria a couple of days before.

"I'll be starting on Monday as a nurse in NICU working for Dr. Raman," she told him. "Guess it was inevitable. I understand that you teach Cardiology at PPTH."

"That's right," he confirmed but didn't elaborate.

Their food arrived. Amy tried to spear one of the breaded and fried chicken tenders with her fork, but finally asked her father, "Can I use my fingers?"

He pursed his lips. "Okay," he told her.

Picking one up with her hand proved much easier for Amy and she contentedly ate her lunch.

Ruth was still unsure of the father-daughter dynamic, but she realized Amy rarely did anything without her dad's permission, so she asked him, "Would it be alright for me to give Amy one of these fries?"

Charley hesitated as if he was reluctant, but finally said, "Yes, thank you. I think she'll like that."

Amy's eyes lit up as Ruth put one on her plate. "Thank you," she said before biting into the fried potato.

Ruth smiled. She was such a sweet and polite little girl.

#

Halfway across town, Audra and Justin were having lunch with Steven and Becca at G&G. The two women were talking about the dresses they'd tried on the evening before. None of them looked good on all of the bridesmaids, and only the strapless one looked well on Audra, but she'd found it uncomfortable to wear. Becca had only found one wedding dress that she liked, but she wasn't crazy about it.

"Tori will find us something," Audra told Becca, who was obviously discouraged. "There are hundreds of styles out there."

"I know," Becca said. "I just never thought about how hard it would be to coordinate what everyone was wearing."

Neither Justin nor Steven was concerned. "Who cares what the attendants wear at a wedding?" Justin asked. "All eyes are on the bride and groom."

Their burgers and fries arrived and soon mouths were too occupied to talk, but Audra continued to think about the problem. She had a half-formed idea, but didn't know how Becca would feel about it. She swallowed her last bite and said, "I think I told you about seeing Monique when we were in LA."

"Yes. You went to a fashion show at her salon," Becca replied.

"What would you think about asking her to design the dresses for the wedding?"

Becca's eyes lit up, but then she frowned. "That would be very expensive, wouldn't it?"

"We won't know how much unless we ask," Audra said. "Do you want me to call her?"

Becca looked at Steven. She obviously liked the idea, but they did have a budget, and she knew she couldn't ask the other women to spend a lot for their dresses.

"My sister's right. It can't hurt to call her," Steven said.

**Chapter 44.**

But by Sunday morning, Audra was rethinking her idea of asking Monique to design the wedding dresses. What if they cost too much? Monique had charged her only two hundred and fifty dollars for a regular dress and she knew that it had to have been below the wholesale price. She certainly wouldn't want Monique to give the clothes away!

What if Monique was too busy? It was likely she was working on her Spring Collection.

What if she was so reluctant to return to Princeton that she'd just refuse?

But Audra had promised her future sister-in-law that she'd call her friend. With that in mind she waited until it was a decent hour in LA and then forced herself to pick up the phone. Monique could just say 'no', but first she had to ask.

Randy answered the phone instead of Monique.

"Hi, Randy," Audra said. "It's Audra Appleton." She wondered if Randy knew her married name.

Randy must have, because she said in a friendly voice, "Hi Audra! Monique mentioned she saw you a few weeks ago. I'm sorry I didn't have a chance to see you too!"

"Yes. It was so great to see her. I'm sorry we had to leave right after that," Audra said. "I really loved her fashion show. She said you were doing well."

"Yes, we're both fine," Randy answered. "Are you coming back to LA soon?"

"No. At least not for a while," Audra replied. "Is Monique there?"

"Sure. Just a sec. It's been good talking to you."

Audra heard her call Monique, and before long the other woman was on the line.

"Audra? Randy said you wanted to talk to me." She sounded surprised and curious.

"Remember I told you that Steven was getting married in November?" Audra asked to begin. She was sure Monique did. "Well, we're having a hard time finding dresses that'll suit all of the bridal party. We spent hours at Tori's the other night trying things on. I...I was hoping..."

"That I could help?"

"Yes. Oh, nothing as elaborate as the wedding gown from your collection." Audra thought that concoction had been just for show.

"No, of course not. It was rather bizarre, wasn't it?" Monique laughed. "But you want me to design the dresses? Long distance?"

"Of course, it would be better if you came here, but if you can't..."

She heard Monique take a deep breath and then say, "I guess we can visit for a couple of days. It'll be good to see you again, and all of our other friends."

Audra noticed that she didn't mention her parents. "You can stay here with us. We're living in my grandparents' house and there's plenty of room."

"We'll check Randy's schedule and mine and let you know when we can be there," Monique promised.

"Thank you so much! Becca will be thrilled. And I think Tori will let us use her boutique," Audra told her. "It was great talking to you and Randy, and we'll see you soon."

##

"What are you doing?" Cameron asked her husband who seemed to have developed a fascination with the screen of their kitchen computer.

He didn't bother to hide the page he was reading. "Information on Joshua and Michelle Corrigan is rather sketchy for the years before they moved to New Jersey," he said. "And essentially nonexistent before that."

She narrowed her eyes. She knew better than to object to what he was doing. In fact, she was glad he was looking into Vanessa's parents' background. Not that she'd ever say so.

"Anything about their trip to La Paz?" she asked.

"If that's where they actually were," he said. "Nada. But what's even stranger, there's no record of them owning a house in the Denver area or registering a car in Colorado. Very curious."

"So the little they're saying doesn't hold up," Cameron marveled. "Curious indeed!"

"This smacks of an organized cover-up. Government maybe?" he speculated.

"Maybe you should be careful, just in case," she said, but knew it wouldn't stop him. "Vanessa mentioned once that she had a brother less than a year old," Cameron told him. "Any record of his birth? Kyle, I think she said."

"Yes, that's part of the recent history. Kyle Jeremy Corrigan, born about eight months ago at PPTH."

"I wonder where Vanessa was born," Cameron mused.

"You have the date of birth in your records, right?" he asked.

She nodded. "But since we don't know where..."

"Yes, it'll be hard, but maybe the little I've found out about the Corrigans will help."

"What if what's out there isn't true, just planted to give them some sort of background?" Cameron questioned.

"There has to be some truth in what they said and what's online," House argued. "What's her DOB?"

She told him and watched as he started a new search. He was determined to get to the bottom of this.


End file.
